26733
3
No. 3. BERMUDA.
8.
(No. 59.)
SIR,
GOVERNOR SIR G. D. BARKER to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received August 1, 1901.)
Bermuda, July 10, 1901. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your circular despatch of the 1st ultimo, and to inform you in reply that I am entirely satisfied with the manner in which the Crown Agents have transacted business entrusted to them by the Govern- ment of this Colony.
I have, &c.,
G. DIGBY BARKER, General, Governor, and Commander-in-Chief.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
SIR,
Gibraltar, July 12, 1901. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your circular despatch of the 1st ultimo, asking for remarks on the conduct by the Crown Agents of commercial business entrusted to them.
2. I am informed that the business relations between this Government and the Crown Agents are quite satisfactory, and that the latter have always done their utmost to protect our interests and to meet our wishes. Goods requisitioned for through that Department are satisfactorily supplied, in accordance with the terms of the requisition, and where there seemed any room for doubt as to the interpretation of those terms, care has always, been taken to ask for further instructions.
3. There is only one point which seems open to comment, and that is the length of time which sometimes elapsed before the goods are despatched. The delay may be unavoidable but it has led to the Works Department to have recourse to local agents where time is of importance. I attach a comparative statement showing the difference in time in the supply of exactly similar articles ordered within the last year and a half through the Crown Agents and through the Gibraltar Branch of the Junior Army and Navy Stores.
I have, &c.,
GEO. S. WHITE,
General and Governor.
Eụclosure in No. 2,
Comparative stalement of time taken to obtain Goods through the Crown Agents, and throngh Local Firm.
Description of tra nỀN,
Date of Despatch of Order.
Date of Receipt of Goods.
Actual Tine
taken.
f
26567
SIR,
No. 4.
SIERRA LEONE.
GOVERNOR SIR C. A. KING-HARMAN to MR. CHAMBERLAIN. (Received August 1, 1901.)
(No. 247.)
Government House, Fort Thornton, Freetown,
Sierra Leone, July 16, 1901.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your circular despatch of the 1st June, in which I am requested to report whether, in my opinion, the commercial interests of this Colony are sufficiently satisfied and adequately protected by the Crown} Agents.
C
31
2. So far as the term commercial interests may be held to embrace the financial business transacted in the Colony's interest by the Crown Agents, I can un. hesitatingly state that the greatest satisfaction is given, and if in the execution of orders for materials there be now and then room for complaint, it must, in common fairness, be recognized that the admirable management of the financial business more than counterbalances any shortcomings with regard to the filling of orders.
3. In addition to my own personal observation, I have consulted the Heads of the Public Works and Railway Departments, whose requirements through the medium of the Crown Agents far exceed those of any other Departments, as to the manner in which they find their business to be done, and from both Departments I have received the same complaint, viz., that the delay in obtaining the articles and materials for which they indent is undue and apparently avoidable. The following are specific and recent cases which have been brought to my notice:—
Articles,
When ordered.
When received.
Delay.
B
8
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
A 2
Grate for Police Department .....
Range-Gardener's Quarters
Range-Boarding Station
Range for Convent
Linoleum for Assistaut
Military
Secretary's Office, * Convent." Linoleum-Serving Room, Convent.....
No. 3, 1900 January 4, 1900. No. 23, 1900 March 24, 1900, Junior Army and Navy Stores, October 13, 1900. Junior Army and Navy Stores. November 21, 1900, No, 72, 1900 September 19, 1900, Junior Army and
Navy Stores.- January 5, 1901,
April 7, 1900
93 days.
Tools
June 12, 1900
80 days.
November 20, 1900
38 days.
December 30, 1900
40 days.
Drawing instruments
Earthenware pipes
Stall boxes
Wheels and axles
...
December 6, 1900
83 days.
Bolts and nuts...
•
July 2, 1900
February 8, 1901
February 8, 1901
July 5, 1900
October 31, 1900
March 28, 1901
7
October 30, 1900
January 16, 1901
June 24, 1901
November 22, 1900
17 weeks.
11 works.
12 weeks.
June 14, 1901
20 weeks.
18 weeks.
May 28, 1901
15 weeks.
January 22, 1901
17 days.
T
Tickets ...
April 9, 1900
!
July 27, 1900
15 weeks.
Waste
March 19, 1901
Not yet received.
}
1922