i
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he has no time left him for the proper carrying on of his own
work; and as a natural consequence no time to assist me when 1
need him. I have had sometimes greatly to my inconvenience and
annoyance, to send for Mr. Seth from the Chief Justice's
Chambers, when his presence has been absolutely necessary in my
office, or I have myself been obliged to go into Court and
consult him about his own work. Is this as it should be ? and
how much longer is this irregularity to be allowed ? The Chief
Justice's Clerk is Mr. Xavier, and not Mr. Seth, and doubtless
some of the unavoidable delays in the Registry might never have
occurred, if Mr. Xavier had attended the Chief Justice instead
of Mr. Seth. The two other clerks Messrs. Almada e Castro and
Suffiad having special work of their own, I do not mention them.
At present I really have no Deputy, because Mr. Xavier's time
is confined principally to the accounts, while the greater part
of the time, Mr. Seth is engaged with the Chief Justice. I can
therefore very easily understand the well deserved tribute paid
by the Chief Justice to my valued Deputy in paragraph 10 of his
letter.
17.
The superintendence of the work under the
circumstances is as efficiently exercised as can be, and I say
so without fear of contradiction and I call upon His Honour the
Chief Justice to prove the contrary. My whole time since my
arrival in the Colony has been devoted to the good and to the
very best interests of the public and the service. The present
thoroughly efficient state of my office, notwithstanding the
adverse criticisms of the Chief Justice at this stage, disproves
the statement that I do not exercise sufficient supervision.
If he had a charge to make why did he not make it a separate
one long ago, instead of waiting till I had informed him of my
intention of applying for leave to enjoy a well-deserved rest ?
His