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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

PELFIC.O. 882

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

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Mr. C. Gilbert, Surveyor of Roads.-Service, 1 years.

A very active and intelligent man. He has always performed his duties to the satisfac- tion of his superiors, though not qualified for any more important position.

Mr. A. Drieu, Surveyor of Roads. Service, 1 year.

Is also a young man of activity and energy, and is gradually gaining experience in the duties of his situation. He is not qualified for any higher post.

Mr. Pommerol.-Service, 3 months.

Mr. Pommerol only entered the service in November last, but I fear that he has neither the energy nor the judgment to fit him for the position he occupies. I have recently caused him to be transferred to a district in which the duties will be less onerous than in that which he has left. If he does not show more aptitude under these changed circumstances, it will perhaps be necessary to remove him altogether, and to supply his place by some one else.

Mr. F. R. Nixon, Guardian of Woods and Forests-Service, 4 years. Mr. Nixon is very zealous and energetic, and performs his dutes with activity and perseverance.

In concluding this Report, I beg leave to suggest, for the consideration of his Excellency, the expediency of establishing some system of examination to test the qualifications of clerks previous to their admission, or promotion in the Government service.

A motive would thereby be presented to the younger gentlemen of the service for improving themselves, so as to be qualified for promotion as opportunities arise.

I have annexed to this Report a detail of the duties of each of the officers of the Department.

(Signed) J. R. MANN,

Acting Surveyor-General.

No. 25.-General Police Office.

[By T. M. Rennards, Esq.]

Richard Mearing-Is a first class Inspector. He has been seventeen years in the department, and is an active intelligent officer, and fully qualified for the duties which devolve on him by Ordinance No. 3 of 1850, and by the General Police Regulations.

Charles Renouf-Is also an Inspector of the first class. He has been in the depart- ment since July 1815, and is a very good officer. He is a Creole of the colony, and both speaks and writes the English and French languages correctly. He is also fully qualified for the duties of the place he fills under the above cited Ordinance and Regulations,

James Cobben.-This Inspector arrived here from London in February 1847, and had Until lately this officer has been been some years in the Metropolitan Blue Police Force. considered an efficient member of the department, but latterly his health has been in a very precarious state, and a Medical Board has lately recommended that he should retire from the service and return to England. (Since dead.)

John S. Swetnam.-Is an Inspector of the first class, and has been many years in the Police Force. He han always given proof of activity and intelligence in the performance of his duties, and is a realous officer; has the same duties to perform as the other Inspec- tors. Is at present in charge of the Police Force at Grand Port.

J. B. Haddon. Was formerly a serjeant in the Metropolitan Police Force, and is now an Inspector of the first class. He has been ten years in the department, and has invariably given satisfaction in the manner in which he has performed his duties. This officer is at present in charge of the police force at Flacq. His duties do not vary from those of the preceding Inspectors.

A. D. Potterton.-Is a first class Inspector, and has been such since 1st October, 1847. I regret to say that I cannot report favourably on this Inspector. He has been several times suspended for inebriety and neglect of duty. Of late I have remarked a slight improve- ment in his general conduct, but I apprehend that he never will be an efficient officer of Police. This officer las had the charge of the Police Force in two or three of the rural districts, but he could not be depended on, in consequence of which he is now permanently stationed at the Central Station in Port Louis.

C. D. I. Bedingfeld. Is also an Inspector of the first class, and joined the Force on the 13th of December, 1847. This officer has received a liberal education, and is intelligent, but not so active as could be desired. He is at present steady in his habits, but formerly was given to tippling. This Inspector is rather deaf, and is frequently absent from duty on account of ill health. I cannot, therefore, consider him as qualified for the duties which devolve on a public officer on that account.

J. II. Mae Cann.-This Inspector is of the first class. He joined the Force, as a second class Inspector, in the month of March 1848, and performs his duty generally in a manner to give satisfaction. He is at present in charge of the constabulary force at the Bavanne, performing the same duties as those which devolve on the other district officers.

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James Macpherson.—Is a second class Inspector. Was, during a short period, doing duty at Mahé (Seychelles), and has been six years in the service. He is an active, steady, and intelligent officer, and has generally given satisfaction. He is at present in charge of the Black River Police Force. I consider this officer fully qualified for, and desirous of, an inspectorship of the first class.

Thomas Power-Is a second class Inspector, and joined the Force on the 1st of September, 1856. He is a steady young man, and I have reason to believe that he will be an acquisition to the department. He is at present in charge of the Police Force at Plaines Wilhems, and is quite fit for the duties he performs.

J. Skinner, J. H. Shellam, J. Spencer, Thomas Prince, Richard Baultbee,-Theme Inspectors are of the second class, and have only very recently joined the Force, but, as far as I am now able to judge, will eventually become good police officers. The two first had been some time police serjeants, and were promoted on my recommendation. Mr. Prince will make, after a little more experience in the force, a good detective officer. Mr. Skinner is at present in charge of the Moka Police Force. The whole of the Police Inspectors, irrespective of class, have the same powers and precisely the same duties to perform.

F. Wohrnits.—This gentleman is the Pay Clerk of the Department. He has been eleven years in this office; is a very good accountant, and one in whom the greatest confi- dence may be placed. His principal duties consist in making out the departmental abstracts and other accounts, pays the Force, and makes out the annual Blue Book returns and estimates, attends frequently at the Audit Office to examine accounts, &c.

L. C. Légnard.—Has been nine years a clerk in this office, and has been upwards of forty-six years in the civil service of the colony. Is a good clerk, and very attentive to his duties, which consist principally in registering licenses, permits of residence, receiving securities for aliens who reside in the colony, copying correspondence, &c. This gentleman is advanced in years, and will, I presume, ere long retire from the service.

(Signed) T. M. RENNARDS,

Acting Superintendent of Police.

No. 26. Royal College.

[By W. J. Williams, Esq.]

When I undertook the superintendence of the Royal College in June 1857, I was per- fectly aware, from my former experience, that the task was a difficult one, more expecially as the professors and the pupils had been allowed for several years to act as they thought proper. Not a word used to be said to a professor or a pupil for arriving late. In fact, every one connected with the college seemed to consider himself as perfectly independent.

I found the professors, with few exceptions, very irregular in their attendance, and extremely lukewarm in the discharge of their public duties.

I did all that I could to induce them to be more punctual in their attendance. I expos- tulated with them on the impropriety of their conduct, and represented to them the injury they did to the establishment by absenting themselves from their duties or by arriving late in their class-rooms. This produced some little effect, it is true; but several of the professors are still very irregular.

As soon as I entered upon my new functions, I immediately established an excellent rule to enfore the punctual attendance of the pupils. I gave orders to have the roll called every morning precisely at 7 o'clock; and any boy who does not answer to his name is put under arrest from 4 to 5 r.M.

After these few preliminary remarks, I shall now attempt to give your Excellencey as full an account as circumstances will permit me of the duties, qualifications, conduct, &c., of the Professors.

The complement of Professors is fourteen; but one is absent on leave, and another has resigned.

Mr. Stone.-Second Classical and English Professor, is now acting as first.

10A.M. to 11 A.M., 1st Greek and Latin class.

ditto 11AM to 1 P.M., 3rd

ditto Greek.-Portions of Homer, Lucian, Xenophon; Exercises in Greek verse. Latin.-Portions of Cicero, Horace; compositions in Latin prose and verse.

2 P.M. to 4 P.M., 1st English class.

Translations, Roman History, English Literature, Essays, Recitations, Readings in

Milton and Shakspeare.

As Second Professor, Mr. Stone was tolerably successful. I am afraid that his know. ledge, of Greek especially, is not sufficiently accurate to enable him to expound the higher classical authors. As the pupils of the 1st class are not advanced scholars this year, I think he will be able to do them justice, Mr. Stone is pretty regular, and keeps good order in his

clara.

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