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to Mr. Wolfe as Secretary to the Public Works Commission, and
the appointment of Mr. Ross to act as Secretary of the
Squatters Board on $100 a month, were not submitted for ap-
proval. Mr. Wolfe had a considerable amount of work to perform
in connection with the Commission, and its Members unanimously
recommended him for the bonus in question. The work was quite
outside his ordinary duties.
5.
The duties of the Secretary of the Squatters'
Board were discharged by Mr. Bruce Shepherd until his departure
on leave of absence on the 5th. April, 1901. No salary was
attached to the post, the duties of which Mr. Shepherd dis-
charged in conjunction with the ordinary functions of Land
Officer. During Mr. Shepherd's absence on leave, Mr. Wakeman
(who was acting for him) reported that there were arrears of
work in connection with the Squatters' Board which it was
impossible for him to overtake without assistance. He urged
the desirability, therefore, of finding an Officer to do the
work so that the outstanding claims could be settled once and
for all. The Colonial Secretary, Mr. Lockhart, then recommended
that Mr. Ross, a Passed Cadet, be appointed to act as Secretary
to the Board as a temporary arrangement in addition to per-
forming the duties which had been assigned to him in the
Colonial Secretary's Office. I attach a copy of Mr. Lockhart's
minute of 11th. February, 1902, which met with the approval
of the Officer Administering the Goverment, and in which it
was recommended that Mr. Ross should be allowed to draw $100
a month, in addition to his pay as Passed Cadet, for his work
/
in the Colonial Secretary's Office and as Secretary of the
Squatters' Board. The fact was not overlooked that the Secretary-
-ship
Losure 2.
Ebruary,