185
184
The right, therefore, was not, as stated by Sir John Pope Hennessy, set at naught by my departure.
9. I may again observe that the technical objections now taken by Sir John Pope Hennessy to certain points of procedure are only raised after the close of the inquiry, when my conclusion is known to have been on the whole adverse. Neither Sir John Pope Hennessy nor his friends took any exception whatever, during the course of the investigation, either to the form of the inquiry or to the manner in which it was being conducted.
10. I have shown that the objections advanced by Sir John Pope Hennessy in his present letter are, in my opinion, groundless; but were this otherwise, I may point out that they would only raise the comparatively unimportant issue as to the propriety of my proceedings, as distinguished from the soundness of my conclusions.
11. It is a mistake, I think, to regard the recent investigation in the same light as if it had been a criminal trial before the Supreme Court. I had no power of adjudication. My functions were limited to inquiry and report. The decision rested with the Secretary of State, who, if he had thought proper, could have recalled Sir John Pope Hennessy, and revoked his commission without any local inquiry at all. This has been done in my recollection in many cases of a not more grave character. The Secretary of State feeling, however, a difficulty in deciding upon the precise merits of many of the "loral differences without examination on the spot, requested me to proceed to Mauritius, and having there looked into matters, to furnish Her Majesty's Government with my "conclusions and recommendations " upon certain specified subjects. The form of inquiry and the manner of investigation were left entirely to my judgment.
12. In accordance with this request I visited Mauritius, and spent nearly seven weeks in the island. I perused more than once the whole of the voluminous official corre- spondence which had taken place during the preceding two years with reference to Sir John Pope Hennessy's numerous quarrels with those around him; and I ascertained the views of nearly 100 officials and other residents upon both sides of the controversy. Upon leaving Mauritius I communicated to Her Majesty's Governinent, as I had been desired to do, the opinions I had formed upon the questions referred to me. These conclusions were for the most part unfavourable to Sir John Pope Hennessy. Whether they are sound or not is a matter for the decision of the Secretary of State, after hearing what Sir John Pope Hennessy has to say on the subject. But their soundness, and not my manner of arriving at them, seems to me the really material point, and I would suggest that Sir John Pope Hennessy be invited to address himself to that issue.
I have, &c. (Signed) HERCULES ROBINSON, The Right Hon. Sir H. T. Holland, Bart., (.Č.M.G., Royal Commissioner.
&c.
to you from the date of your ceasing to administer the Government until a decision has been arrived at after the conclusion of the inquiry which is now being held.
With regard to the fifth paragraph of your letter I am to remind you that the passage which you quote from the despatch addressed to Sir H. Robinson, on the 29th September, had no reference to the manner in which he was to apply his second Com- mission empowering him to supereede you in the administration of the Government, but related, as did the whole of that despatch, to the inquiry which he was directed to hold by his first Commission. The rules laid down in the Colonial Regulations in regard to the suspension of public officers do not apply to the case of a Governor whom the Queen may be advised to supersede or remove from the administration of a Government; and the sixth and following paragraphs of your letter are, therefore, written under a misapprehension. Your supersession, pending the result of the inquiry, was considered by Sir H. Robinson to be necessary on grounds irrespective of your defence, which is now receiving careful consideration; and all the documents which are necessary your assistance in making your defence, and which were not communicated to Sir H. Robinson was 'compelled to conclude his inquiry, have been, or will be, now furnished to you.
for
you before
It is, therefore, not necessary to discuss, in this letter, the various points raised in the remaining paragraphs of your letter under acknowledgment, with the exception of the request made in the concluding paragraph, that Sir H. Holland will now
"anoul your
18
suspension on the facts already known to him." This request has received the careful consideration of the Secretary of State, and he directs me to acquaint you that he finds himself, with regret, unable to accede to it. Sir H. Holland has seen no reason to question the propriety of the action taken by Sir H. Robinson, in exercise of the discretion vested in him, when he decided that it was necessary that you should cease to administer the Government; and while he trusts that the full statement which you are now making to him, and the close attention which is being given to it, may enable Her Majesty's Government to decide at an early date whether you should be reinstated in the Government of Mauritius, he is of opinion that to replace you at this moment in the position of Governor would unduly anticipate the result of the inquiry, and would lead to the misapprehension that Her Majesty's Governinent have arrived at some conclusion with regard to the merits of the case.
Sir J. Pope Hennessy.
I (Signed)
ain,
&c.
No. 95.
EDWARD WINGFIELD.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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TLC.O. 882
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
SIR,
&c.
&c.
No. 94.
COLONIAL OFFICE to SIR J. POPE HENNESSY, K.C.M.G.
Downing Street, May 14, 1887.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3rd instant, on the subject of your position as affected by the operation of Her Majesty's second Commission to Sir H. Robinson, dated September 25, 1886.
44
pre-
Sir Henry Holland desires me to inform you that he entirely adheres to the intimation which he directed to be made to you that the action taken by Sir H. Robinson in pursuance of that Commission was not intended to préjudice, and has not in fact judiced, the due consideration of his report, and of the question whether you should resume the government of Mauritius. Nor is Sir H. Holland able to admit that, as suggested in the fourth paragraph of your letter under acknowledgment, "Some mistake
Was made in the method of procedure by which you were deprived of salary.
* When your Commission as Governor was suspended by Sir H. Robinson's assumption of the Government, all salary ceased to be payable to you until the receipt by the Colonial Government of special instructions on that subject. My predecessor telegraphed on the 1st January his desire that you should come to England at once on half salary, in order that you might be placed, in regard to emoluments, in as favourable a position as a Governor on leave of absence, and the half salary of Governor has been or will be paid
• No. 92.
SIB,
COLONIAL OFFICE to Sra J. POPE HENNESSY, K.C.M.G.
Downing Street, May 19, 1887.
I
WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 14th inst., I am directed by Secretary Sir H. Holland to forward, for your information, copy of the despatch+ addressed to Sir H. Robinson, instructing him with reference to the Commission empowering him to supersede you in the administration of the Government of Mauritius.
I am, &c. (Signed) EDWARD WINGFIELD.
Sir J. P. Hennessy.
No. 96.
The RIGHT HON. SIR H. T. HOLLAND, BARт., G.C.M.G., M.P., to the RIGHT HON. SIR HERCULES ROBINSON, G.C.M.G.
SIR,
Downing Street, May 25, 1887. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 12th of April regarding the inquiry recently held by you into the affairs of Mauritius, and to refer you to my despatches of the 26th of March and the 13th of April § on the subject.
I have, &c. (Signed) H. T. HOLLAND.
Sir Hercules Robinson.
• No. 94.
24314.
† No. 26.
‡ No. 98.
A s
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No. 88; one not printed.