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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TIC.O. 882

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5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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21. It will be seen from the correspondence which has since then passed between us, that Sir John Pope Hennessy now declines to go on with his defence, on the ground, as I understand (1) that he has been interfered with in its preparation by the withdrawal of the evidence; and (2) that I had prejudged his case in suspending him without waiting for his defence. I, of course, foresaw when I decided on my course of action, that it was possible he would take this line of defence. It is at first sight plausible, but it is, in truth, & mere pretext. He had ample time to prepare his defence if he had been honestly desirous to make one. His defence has never for one moment been interfered with, for when my private secretary, Mr. Newton, went to him on the 14th December for the original evidence, so as to get it copied for him, he told Sir John he might keep the part upon which he was then working until it was required by the copyist, and then he would send him a portion that had been copied. I enclose a copy of the notes of what passed at the interview, written by Mr. Newton immediately on leaving Réduit. As to Sir John Pope Hennessy's plea that I had prejudged his case by suspending him without waiting for his defence, he appears to overlook the fact that I told him I had decided upon his interdiction on general grounds which would not be affected by his defence. had made up my mind that, even if his defence bad shown that he was in every respect free from blame, he could not have remained in the administration of the Government of Mauritius without injury, and even danger, to public interests. His defence, therefore, which he was free to send after me to the Cape, practically only affected the personal question as to whether he should get another government, a pension, or nothing at all. I accordingly considered that I should not have been justified in allowing the non-production of his defence within a reasonable time, and my enforced departure without it, to be a ground for imposing on the unfortunate people of Mauritius the continuance of mis-rule for a further period of several months.

22. If I had thought only of my own inclination and comfort, I should have acted differently. I might have sent in my report, and left Her Majesty's Government to get out of the difficulty as they best could. But, as I had been intrusted with full powers to deal with the case, if I thought it necessary, by interdiction, and as I did think such & course imperative, I felt I should be wanting in my duty to Her Majesty's Govern- ment, as well as to the people of Mauritius, if I had failed to act at once upon my

convictions.

23. The step which I have taken in suspending Sir John Pope Hennessy has been, on the whole, far better received than I anticipated. It seems to have occasioned a sigh of relief on the part of nearly all who have a real stake in the island. I was very well received when I was sworn in. I enclose a newspaper account of the ceremony, and of the few words which I spoke on the occasion.

I have, &c.

(Signed) HERCULES ROBINSON,

Royal Commissioner.

The Right Hon. Edward Stanhope, M.P.,

&c.

&c.

&c.

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then whether it will be necessary for me, in consequence of your observations, to make further inquiries. When do you think you can let me have your remarks ?

Your reply re Mr. Clifford Lloyd's letters of 6th and 9th October is, I imagine, ready. You have the evidence up to the 12th sitting on Saturday last, which closes the case of the English officials. Since then there have been only two adverse witnesses-Abbé Cox and Mr. de Coriolis-whose evidence I will send you when it reaches me, also Mr. Elliott's on the financial state of the Colony, which seems satisfactory.

I am very anxious to get away as soon after the 6th as possible.

Yours, &c. (Signed)

Enclosure B. iu No. 49.

HERCULES ROBINSON.

Sir JOHN P. HENNESSY to Sir HERCULES ROBINSON.

Dear Sir HERCULES ROBINSON,

Le Réduit, Mauritius,

December 3, 1886. I SHALL do everything to facilitate your departure, but the voluminous evidence of the English officials deals with every point almost on which for three years and a half they did not agree with my decisions, and on which, in most cases, they appealed to the Secretary of State. The various Minute papers and despatches bearing on all those cases have to be gone through, if the cases have to be, as it were, decided afresh.

Your frank communications about Mr. Lloyd's case have brought that to an issue. Is it not possible to apply a similar method to the complaints of the English officials, and to the evidence of the Memorialists ?

If

you wish, I can run through the evidence with you, and put aside whatever you think needs no explanation. This would probably shorten my work considerably. Also you may be able, perhaps, by this to spare me the labour of dealing minutely with such questions as the increase of crime, improper interference with sentences, relaxation of prison discipline, &c. As you think our finances seem to be satisfactory, that point, like Mr. Lloyd's affairs, will not delay us. But I must not presume to suggest more than I have ventured already to hint at.

J. POPE HENNESSY.

Yours, &c. (Signed) P.S.-If you think well of my suggestion, I can go down to-day, on getting a telegram from you; or, if you prefer it, you might send Mr. Solomon.

up

(Signed)

J. P. H.

Enclosure A, in No. 49.

EXTRACT from "Mercantile Record" of 13th November 1886.

THE ROYAL COMMISSION.

We understand that Sir Hercules Robinson will be obliged to leave for the Cape about the 6th proximo, and he will be glad therefore if any gentlemen who may desire to give evidence before the Royal Commission will lose no time in communicating their desire to Mr. Round, the secretary, who will arrange with them for a hearing.

Enclosure A, 2 in No. 49.

Sir HERCULES ROBINSON to Sir JOHN P. HENNESSY,

DEAR SIR JOHn Hennessy,

Government House, Port Louis,

December 2, 1886.

CAPTAIN WILSON is anxious to know what day I can start. till I receive any remarks you may wish to make on the evidence, as I cannot judge till I cannot tell him

Enclosure C. in No. 49.

Sir HERCULES ROBINSON to Sir JOHN P. HENNESSY.

The Glen, Friday evening,

December 3, 1886.

DEAR SIR JOHN HENNESSY,

I do not think I can follow the course you suggest in your note of to-day. The cases of the English officials and of the Memorialists differ from that of Mr. Clifford Lloyd. He is absent, whilst all the papers in his case-for and against-are before me ; and I had nothing further to do before coming to a decision than to ask you to reply to his two London letters of the 6th and 9th October, which you had not seen. This I understand you propose doing.

As regards the English officials, they have been here in person, and have spoken for themselves. They have, acting in concert, advanced four charges against you, which you have seen. They have given evidence, on oath, in support of each of those charges, which evidence you have also had sent to you. It rests with you now to give such reply as you may think necessary, and I shall then be in a position to make up my mind on the In the meanwhile, I could not take upon myself to say that any of the officials' charges, or any of the sworn evidence, which they have adduced in support of them, can be "put aside as needing no explanation."

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