185
4.
Before commenting on my refusal to grant him
leave, it is necessary to place the following facts before you.
In July 1912, soon after my assumption of this Government, the
Director of Public Works reported that with a view to question-
ing Mr. Fisher and endeavouring to make arrangements for exped-
iting the completion of the final statements of account, which
Mr. Fisher had seld would take him from four to six months to
make, he had sent for Mr. Fisher, who, instead of obeying the
request of the Head of his Department, wrote to him a minute
"requesting that for the present" Mr. Chatham "would kindly
communicate with him in writing". I caused the Colonial Secre-
tary to warn Mr. Fisher that such conduct could not be tolerated
and I directed that Mr. Fisher should be relieved, on the 9th
of September, of all other work except the settling of the
accounts for the Law Courts; and that he be set a term of two
months from that date within which to complete them.
considered that this period would suffice, and I was very
anxious to close the accounts in order that the enquiry promised
by Sir F. Lugard into the delay in building the Law Courts
should be proceeded with.
5
+
Mr.Chatham
Mr. Fisher replied in a long letter to the
Colonial Secretary which contained passages of a very insubordin- ate nature. These Mr. Fisher was requested to withdraw in a
letter copy of which is enclosed. Mr. Fisher at first refused
to withdraw the objectionable passages but eventually complied. In the meantime he had sent in another long letter to show that more time than I had set him was necessary for the work referred
to.
closure 2.
6.
Thereupon I appointed a small Committee consist- ing of Mr. Barton, Superintending Civil Engineer at the Naval Yard, Major Wenborn of the Staff for Royal Engineer Services, and Mr. C. H. Gale, Executive Engineer, Public Works Department,
to