PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TILIC.O.g
السياسيا
885
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
Sir,
2.-Deputy Commissary-General Maclean to the Comptroller-General.
February 11, 1846. THERE are several important points involved in the accompanying correspondence, and I do myself the honour of submitting them for the consideration of his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, who will I trust concur with me in thinking they have been properly brought forward by Deputy Assistant Commissary-General Tomes, with a due regard to eco- nomy in the appropriation of convict labour, as enjoined by the orders addressed to me from home on the subject.
That the eighth clause of the Regulations has been wholly disre- garded in allowing, rations to free or ticket-of-leave servants simulta- neously with the gratituous services of convicts, seems to be admitted by Major Childs, who, having neglected to furnish proper returns of the latter, should I submit now be called upon to do so in every case, and make good out of his own salary the loss thus occasioned to the public, as some of the parties interested have left the island, and are no longer in a tangible position with regard to the claim.
That assistant superintendents and even overseers are allowed the full services of one convict each without any charge, and thus placed upon the footing of first-class officers seems also to be admitted; and I beg to suggest that a return of all the servants thus allowed by the Commandant in excess of the regulations be required, so that the difference of amount may be recovered either from the parties themselves or from the Civil Commandant, and credited in aid of convict funds.
The fact of Major Childs having himself taken the gratuitous services of convicts while drawing ratious for the number of free servants prescribed for him in the Regulations, seems undisputed, but whether he has any peculiar right to be exempted from the operation of the stringent orders on this head, will be a matter for his Excellency's determination, although I may be permitted to add that the limitation in his case would appear to negative the assumption he has thus raised.
If, as stated by Mr. Tomes, from 15 to 20 convicts be employed about Major Childs' house and gardens, while returned as on the strength of the Agricultural Department; if the proceeds of these men's labour be con- veyed by dray loads from the gardens and consumed in feeding his private stock; and if, as I am led to believe, flour is now issued under his autho- rity to the convicts in lieu of the vegetables thus raised at the public expense and disposed of for his personal advantage, I submit with great deference that very grave charges are thereby involved, and that a par- ticular inquiry into them would appear to be imperatively called for.
(Signed) GEO. MACLEAN.
Sir,
>
Deputy Commissury-General Maclean to the Comptroller-General.
March 4, 1846.
BY the 10th Article of the Regulations for the conduct of all persons employed in the public service at Norfolk Island, approved of by the Lieutenant-Governor on the 20th March, 1815, and directed to be obeyed in letter and spirit, it was provided, that all articles produced on the island may be issued to civil officers, within certain limitations and prices, at the discretion of the Commandant, but which were not to be altered but by leave of his Excellency, obtained through the head of the Commis- sariat; amongst these are butter and milk the produce of the Government dairy and the property of the public, which have been drawn to some extent both by the Civil Commandant and the Superintendent of Agricul-
49
ture, who, on receipt of these instructions, declined payment of the value, and remonstrated thereon to the Comptroller-General.
In consequence of this remonstrance I submitted the same, on the 29th November last, to the Comptroller-General, for his Excellency's decision and instructions; and I was informed, in reply, "that these officers should pay for butter and milk on the same scale as authorized for other officers by the Lieutenant-Governor-there is no exception."
It appears, however, notwithstanding these positive orders, no atten- tion is paid to them by the parties, as will be found by the annexed copies of correspondence from the Commissariat officer in charge of the local duties; and as I am unaware of any regulation which sanctions the appropriation of public property to the private use of any individual in the convict service without payment being made to the Commissariat chest, and the amount placed to the credit of the Government, I request you will be pleased to move his Excellency to authorize me to deduct the sums due by the respective parties, from the first issue of pay which may be made to them, and that in future they settle such claims periodically with the local Commissariat officer.
By Mr. Stephen's letter to Mr. Trevelyan, of 23rd February, 1843, No. 26, and the regulations before quoted, the Civil Commandant's salary and allowances are specifically stated, and admit of no exception in favour of that or any other individual.
It will be my duty to communicate to the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, his Excellency's further instructions in this mat- ter, as well as on the other points I have recently had the honour to submit for consideration, touching the affairs of that settlement.
(Signed) GEO. MACLEAN.
Sir,
Deputy Commissary-General Maclean to the Comptroller-General.
March 23, 1846. I HAVE the honour to state for his Excellency the Lieutenant- Governor's information, that an issue of eight ounces of 12 per cent. flour has been ordered by the Civil Commandant at Norfolk Island to each convict, in lieu of the daily allowance of two pounds of sweet potatoes, an issue which, as far as the mere proportion is concerned, I see no objection to, but I must at the same time submit that it is altogether unprecedented; that it is calculated to create extreme embarrassment in the estimate of supplies for such a peculiar establishment, and that it would seem most desirable to impress upon the Commandant the imperative necessity for making such arrangements with regard to the growth of vegetables, as will prevent the possibility of its recurrence.
The arrangement in question has extended over the period from the 21st January to the 18th February, and I request to be favoured with his Excellency's decision respecting it.
It is a matter of the highest importance that the island should at least supply its own wants as far as practicable: wheat cannot be raised there to any extent, so that a great importation of this article with all its consequent inconvenience and expense will be entailed by this extra- ordinary issue of flour to the convicts.
I beg to suggest that the Commandant be required to explain distinctly whether rye, barley or oats, the produce of the island, or some other local substitute could not have been resorted to; and also with reference to the last paragraph of my letter of the 11th ultimo, whether all the vegetables raised by convict labour were firstly appropriated in aid of the convict ration; whether the two large Government gardens at Orange Vale and Cascade did not yield good crops, available for this purpose, what the average produce of these gardens has been weekly during the last six months, and the specific purpose to which it has been applied. As this produce is I conceive the property of the public, I would 0