441
TOPOM* acteda
being kept permanently, to that post, provided the emoluments of the office are made equal, at least, to those of the office of Magistrate, which post I have filled for more than five years in this Colony. I believe the Post Office and the Colony would greatly benefit by such an arrangement; but as things are, the proposal to deprive me of all acting appointments for five years, has a very invidious appearance, and largely diminishes the value of the appointment. In the first place, it is a restriction hitherto only imposed on Officers by way of punishment for past misconduct, and if I am during the next five years repeatedly passed over for acting appointments that would otherwise come to me, it will be believed that I am in disgrace, or ineligible, and I will suffer very considerably in pocket, and more, in having juniors promoted over my head to important appointments.
5.
During the last eight years in this Colony, I have held acting appointments of a superior grade to my own (and recent appointment). During the last five years, I have received pay, whilst drawing half salary of a subordinate, and only half salary of the acting officer, to an amount greater than the pay of my present appointment by 20 per cent. I may reasonably hope, if acting appointments are open to me, to do as well in the next five years. If I am deprived of the opportunity, I ought, I most respectfully submit, to be compensated by an increased rate to begin with and by periodical