PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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C.O. 882
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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integrity, which is undoubted. He is getting rather feeble, bat is still up to his work. No promotion beyond increase of pay would suit him: A married man; a Catholic.
L. Nalletamby, Assistant Cash Keeper.-21 year' service: 961. per annum. Assists the Cash Keeper, and keeps the books. All the money transactions of the Savings' Bank pass through his hands."
His son.
A valuable man of strict integrity; fit for promotion in a place of trust where money is concerned; but not as a clerk. A Christian-Catholic, I believe; married.
S. Mamedy, Cash Counter.-31 years 1 month service: 601. per annum. Assists in counting; does the duty of the Cash Keeper in his absence. Another good, honest man, intelligent and trustworthy; fit for promotion in a place of trust, but not as a clerk. A Catholic; married.
(Signed)
FELIX BEDINGFELD,
No. 22.-Internal Revenues Department.
[By P. D. Souper, Esq.]
Treasurer.
Mr. Wilson, Assistant Collector.-Some 34 years in the service; not an aged man, but much broken in constitution. Has lately had severe attacks of rheumatic gout, which have kept him much from the office, and it may be doubtful whether he will be able to resume. Having on one recent occasion resumed duty before he had sufficiently recovered from one of these attacks, his duty was so ill done as to occasion inconvenience, which will render it necessary for me to suggest a change in the manner of performing the duty, should a vacancy occur.
The Assistant Collector is the check upon the Cashier. He signs the receipts for every sum paid into the office except the immigration moneys, for which there is a district branch with a separate cashier). His book, called the Control book, is compared daily with the Cashier's book to see that they agree; if not, errors are rectified.
Unless Mr. Wilson rallies from his present illness in an extraordinary manner, I should say he is too infirm for any other post, or even for his own.
Distillery Branch.
Mr. Compton, Chief Superintendent of Distilleries.-A well-intentioned officer, understands his duty, and does it. Was originally an officer in the army; like many Colonial officers, feels the want of encouragement and promotion. If an officer, either from want of interest or sufficient capacity, cannot hope to rise to the highest offices, it is to be regretted that no encouragement exists in the way of progressive increase of pay, with length of service.
Mr. Crompton's experience in his branch is now valuable, added to which his integrity can be relied on a very important matter in the place he fills. He is a respectable steady man, but not gifted with quick apprehension: is more useful where he is than he probably would be in any higher post, which, however, he is always seeking; I believe, principally, because he finds his pay insufficient for an European and a gentleman. He is a widower, and fortunately without family, or he would be reduced to what an Englishman would feel in this country to be pauperism.
Mr. De la Roche, Superintendent of Distilleries.—Good at his duty, and knows his It is next to impossible duty; but, like all Creoles, hampered by friends and connexions. for a Creole to do his duty with the, sometimes, necessary severity, if friends and connexions
are concerned.
Would be qualified, as far as experience in his branch goes (and that is very important), to succeed Mr. Crompton in case of a vacancy, but I do not think Mr. De la Roche would make a figure in a higher position.
Mr. Stock, Superintendent of Distilleries.—It is a misfortune this gentleman was placed in this situation. He was sent to it from the Treasury or Audit Office, I believe because he was not considered eligible for promotion there. He is a well-intentioned but heavy man; but when it is considered what a large amount of revenue (say one month of the entire revenue of the colony) is derived from the distilleries, none but men of fair capacity should be sent to superintend their working.
It would be impossible, at present to make Mr. Stock Chief Inspector, should vacancies lead him to it; and then, a discontented officer is the natural consequence.
It is unnecessary to say that Mr. Stock would not be qualified for any higher place. He is, however, gaining experience, and the fittest reward for him would be the periodical increase of pay, whi h I hope is alxout to be adopted as a system.
These Superintendents look after the working of all the distilleries and warehouses for rum, and check, as well as they can, fraud. They visit each distillery several times in the
yeur.
Supervising Inspectors of Distilleries.-The number of Supervising Inspectors of
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distilleries and warehouses varies according to circumstances. There were, in 1857, ten warehouses and twenty-one distilleries the first half year, and only eight the last half. To each of them is attached a Supervising Inspector.
They are exposed to great temptation, and there is no doubt that in many cases they, or some of them, are overcome by it. Loss of revenue is the consequence. They have complete possession and control of the rum from the moment it is distilled. Were they honest, fraud would be impossible. Illicit distillation would still be carried on, but that would not be the fault of the Inspectors.
The low rate of pay, coupled with the hard conditions of their service, have shut out such men as should be employed; and of all the present Supervising Inspectors, I know only one who would be fit for a higher post, namely, Mr. Charles Mortimer, who would have been made a Superintendent, had not Mr. Stock been sent instead.
Mr. Montgomery, Clerk.-Of English occupation, well-disposed, but a mere clerk, not fit for higher occupation.
Immigration Branch.
Mr. Dammerum, Superintendent.-Has been many years in the service of the Colony. Formerly an officer in the army: knows the routine of his duty and gets through it. But, if ever possessed of a bright intellect, it has certainly left him.
Whether an unfortunate propensity he sometimes indulges in, is the effect of the poor result of his long service, or whether his propensity has been the cause of his ill-success, I cannot say, as he was long in the Colony before me.
He superintends the issue of the Stamped Forms of Contract for the Indian labourers; keeps the correspondence of the branch with the Receiving Clerks in the county districts; and, once a quarter, goes into the districts to fetch up the money received by the Receiving Clerks for Stamped Forms of Contract issued by them; as well as the direct Taxes and Licence Dues received by the Receiving Clerk in the district of Savanne. But, from this duty, I have lately proposed to relieve him, and his Excellency the Governor has sanctioned it for the reason stated in paragraph 3.
Mr. Dannerum has also consented to waive the claim he has, in virtue of a letter to
the Collector front the late Governor, but before my time, to succeed Mr. Wilson, with the title of Chief Clerk instead of Assistant Collector.
It would be quite impossible to look to him as an efficient check upon the Cashier.
Amassamy Sandapa, Clerk.—A man of excellent conduct, and, obligingly, does many things not strictly his duty.
"Not eligible for anything higher than a clerkship.
Louis Sandapa, Cashier.-An untaught, uncouth individual, who, however, so far, has done his duty.
Not eligible for anything higher than a clerkship.
Direct Tax Branch.
There is no head to this Branch, which, however, requires it as much as any other.
Mr. De la Hausse de la Louviere, Clerk.-A well meaning man, but obstinate, and difficult to manage or comprehend.
It would be very desirable to pension him if he wished it, and to replace him by a man to be paid above the others in the branch, to look after those others.
Certainly not eligible for any higher appointment.
Arlanda Gnanapagacin.—A half Indian. Good man. Slow, but safe.
Daereori Saminaden.—A smart, intelligent, but uneducated man. Would make an
excellent Cashier.
Mr. Durney. Well disposed, but not eligible for any appointment higher than that of a clerk.
Mr. Asquasciati, Chief Bearer of Warrants.—An active, useful man; looks after all the bearers of warrants to see that they do their duty-a difficult thing to obtain from some of them.
Being but little educated is not fit for any bigher appointment.
Licence Branch.
Mr. Tom Ambrose, Chief Inspector of Licences (in charge of the Branch).—Was supposed, I believe, to be well qualified for the place, and was removed here from the Custom-house on that account. The idea of securing a good man was a right one; for into an office like the Internal Revenues, which produces the largest portion of the revenue of the colony, none but really good should be sent. But I have had to complain of great occasional negligence on the part of Mr. Ambrose, and I fear that his fondness of gaiety and dissipation, which has already injured his health (he is now absent on leave to recover it), will ruin him as a public servant.
Is smart enough for anything, if he would only be steady; but not qualified by birth or education for the higher posts in the service.