you
20451
02
Gascoigne's Despatch No. 154 of the 18th. April, 1902.
3.
541
The office of Postmaster-General
being one to which Cadets have a preferential claim, Mr.
Messer's claim is on that ground superior to the claim of
Mr. Lewis, especially as the former has acted in this post
with conspicuous success from the 29th. July, 1907, to the
2nd. of last April. Mr. Messer has, moreover, acted in the
important offices of Colonial Treasurer and Registrar-
-General, and has on several occasions held a seat on the
Executive and Legislative Councils, while his financial
capacity and his quickness in dealing with figures, com-
-bined with his power of controlling and enforcing dis-
-cipline in a large Department where organization is es-
-sential, peculiarly fit him for this appointment. I
consider him to be the Officer in this Service who is best
fitted for the post and I think it would be difficult to
find a more thoroughly capable Postmaster-Goneral.
I
venture therefore to strongly recommend him to Your Lord-
-ship for the appointment.
4.
Should Your Lordship approve this
recommendation, the transfer of Mr. Messer to the Post
Office will leave vacant the post of Head of the sanitary
Department, for which the only local candidate is Mr. J.
H.