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the Troops alone was absent, met under the presidency of the Colonial Secretary whom I had appointed for that purpose under paragraph VIII of the Royal Instructions as I was prevented by illness from presiding myself, and unanimously advised that Inspector Ward should be suspended from the exercise of his office. In this advice I concur and submit for Your Lordship's approval and confirmation the decision arrived at.
8. Of the charges (a) to (h) all except (d) and (f) were unanimously held to be proven and there was only one dissentient, viz.:- the Principal Civil Medical Officer, in respect of those two charges being proven.
9. With regard to the charges (g) and (h) of which Ward was acquitted by a jury, I would invite Your Lordship's attention to No. 96/A of the Rules and Regulations for His Majesty's Colonial Service and offer the observation that the account books, properly rejected at the criminal trial, were before the Council and put in as evidence against Ward, the strict rules which regulate the admissibility of evidence in criminal proceedings not governing, in my judgment, proceedings before the Executive Council.