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ments is a matter which rests entirely in the hands of the Goverbor, who is guided by the exigencies of the service at the time. I am further aware that to have acted in a post, even for several times, gives no incontestable claim to the substan- tive appointment. But a feeling of ankiety on my part may, I trust, be recognized as natural, and accepted by lis Excellency as an excuse for troubling him with reference to Mr Messer's appointment as Acting Colonial Treasurer for the third time.
I can not help fearing that at some future time the reasons which led to this preference given to an officer 30 many years my junior may be over- looked, and their foundation on the convenience of the moment forgotten.
If I have never acted as Treasurer, it is not because I have been anything but desirous of doing so, nor because the work would have been unconge- nial, but, 30 farus I am concerned, for the sole reason that an op-crtunity has never been afforded 10. It is therefore of great importance to me that the Government should record their opinion, if such is their opinion, that the acting appoint- ments referred to have been in no way due to any personal incapacity on my part, nor to any establish- ed superiority on the part of Mr Hesser.
In reply I received the following communica-
tion, signed by Mr Thomson, acting Colonial Secretary,
I am directed to inform you that His Excellency the Governor in appointing Mr Hesser to act as Colonial Treasurer was guided by the exigencies of the public service, and that no question of your capacity to act in that post was raised nor was any comparison instituted between yourself and any other civil servant in this connection.
In a word my endeavour to discover definitely
how I stood with the Governsent was a failure.
I now come to a case of even more direct impor- tance to me, inasmuch as it deals with a proposal to promote
an Officer many years my junior to a substantive First Class
Annointment over my head. The facts are these. Owing to
the promotion of Mr Gompertz, the post of First Magistrate
fell vacant.
the (This occurred a short time before events re-
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