CO882-(1-2) — Page 327

CONFIDENTIAL.

Eastern

Au XIX

Report upon the Public Officers of Government in

Mauritius.

COPY of a DESPATCH from the Governor of MAURITIUS to Mr. Secretary

(Confidential.) SIR,

LABOUCHERE.

Réduit, Mauritius, May 1, 1858. (Received June 18, 1858.)

IN pursuance of Colonial Regulations, I have the honour to transmit my confidential Report of all the superior public officers of Government, together with their confidential Reports of the clerks and subordinates in their respective Departments.

Upon this first occasion of expressing my confidential opinion of those pmblic officers who were under my more immediate observation, I have entered more fully than may in future be necessary, into the subject of their official character and qualifications; and for the same reason I have required them to be equally explicit in the Reports they have furnished of their subordinates.

I have, &c. (Signed) WILLIAM STEVENSON.

The Right Hon. H. Labouchere,

&c.

&c.

&c.

Inclosures.

'" य

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference -

C.O. 882

1

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

CONFIDENTIAL REPORT of the Superior Public Officers, and transmitting their Subordinate Reports.

The Bishops and their Clergy.

Sabordinate Re- ports, Nos. 1 and

I TRANSMIT the Reports of the two Bishops, who appear to give cheering accounts of the merits and services of their respective Clergy. Upon these points they are best able to judge; and I have no doubt that their representations are quite in accordance with their 2. own convictions. In both Churches more working Clergy are required; and this, upon the representation of the Bishops, I have already reported in recent official despatches.

The Judges, the Magistrates, and the Officers of the Court.

I consider it unnecessary to make any special Report about the Judges, as their duties Subordinate Re-

come so little before me in my executive department, and their official positions scarcely ports, Nos. 3 to 15;

demand confidential Reports; although I consider they are quite efficient in the perform- 16, 17.

ance of their judicial functions.

But with regard to the Magistrates, the same reason does not prevail, because I receive daily applications from persons who have come within their cognizance, and have been dealt with under their convictions.

In very many instances errors have been detected in their judgments; and in some few cases a slight apparent bias has been evinced, which is attributable to local connections and interests, rarely separable from the exercise of Magisterial functions within limited

distriota.

It is difficult to fill the office of District Magistrate from the ranks of the bar; as the small incomes do not hold out sufficient inducement for relinquishing a profession which is said to be highly lucrative in this country. And with regard to Stipendiary Magistrates, some of whom act in that character alone, while others hold the office blended with their district duties, the great difficulty is in finding men who are wholly free from agricultural interests or local connections, and who have not therefore some slight feeling of bias in dealing with the Indian population.

Some Magistrates of both classes are exceedingly good, while others are but indifferent; although taken as a whole body I have no reason to be clissatisfied, and have no immediate

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