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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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TEC.O. 882

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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The same remarks apply to the Memorialists charges, and their evidence on oath, in support of them.

As to "crime" and "vagrancy" the evidence so far seems to point to the conclusions that there has been no increase of the former, and that no special measures are necessary for obviating the latter, except, perhaps, a somewhat larger vote for return passages to India. These subjects will, therefore, not call for any lengthy remarks from you.

As to the exercise of the prerogative of pardon, I can as yet say nothing, as I have not received the returns I called for, some weeks ago, as to this head of the inquiry.

am sending you to-day the evidence of the Acting Treasurer as to the finances. You will then be able to judge whether any remarks from you are necessary. Mr. Elliott's evidence seems to show that, notwithstanding deficits in 1884-5-6, the Colony is solvent, and Mr. Beyts, in his evidence to-day, has spoken as to the remission of taxation during those bad years.

In accordance with your suggestion, Messrs. E. Antelme and Planel were summoned and examined 10-day. Their evidence, which will be sent to you, leaves the case where it was, as they simply swore that their signatures were affixed to the memorial willingly, and that they fully concurred in all the charges and statements advanced in it.

If you think it would lighten your labour, and shorten your work, to reply to the various charges by giving verbal evidence before the Commission, you are, of course, quite at liberty to do so. But this is a matter for your judgment, and you must decide whether by written statements, or parole evidence, you can best do justice to your case.

Yours, &c. (Signed)

Enclosure D. in No. 49.

HERCULES ROBINSON.

Sir JOHN POPE HENNESSY to Sir HERCULES ROBINSON.

DEAR SIR HERCULES ROBINSON,

Le Réduit, Mauritius,

December 17, 1886.

I RECEIVED yesterday the fresh evidence of Mr. Antelme, as well as that of his son and Mr. Planel, and I understand additional evidence from Dr. Beaugeard will be sent to me to-day.

Whilst all this and the last batch of the English officials' evidence will take time to answer, on the other hand, I shall endeavour to utilise the evidence you sent me yester- day of Sir V. Naz, Mr. Leclézio, Mr. Guibert, Mr. Thomy Pitot, and others in my favour, so as to shorten my defence and your stay here.

As far as I have gone with the evidence of the English officials, I am sure you will not be sorry to hear that I have been able to dispose of every allegation of fact each witness advanced in relation to himself, bearing on the four charges. You will be surprised to see how careless, or worse, they have been in dealing with simple matters of fact.

I shall want copies of the evidence. Shall I have duplicates made, one for you and one for myself?

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Yours, &c.

(Signed) J. POPE HENNESSY.

Enclosure E. in No. 49.

Sir HERCULES ROBINSON to SIR JOHN P. HENNESSY.

DEAR SIR JOHN HENNESSY,

Government House, Mauritius, December 7, 1886.

I Do not require a copy of the evidence for myself, and I do not think that you should take one. I have allowed you, as you were not present at the sittings, to peruse the evidence, so as to make what observations you think proper upon it; but the evidence original will be forwarded to the Secretary of State, and it will be for him to decide whether it is or is not desirable that it should be made public. In the mean-

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while, I am bound to take measures that no use shall be made of it other than for the purposes of the inquiry.

As I want a summary and index of the evidence to be commenced, I shall be glad to have the report of each day's sitting buck as soon as you have done with it.

Yours, &c. (Signed) HERCULES ROBINSON.

Enclosure F. in No. 49.

Sir HERCULES ROBINSON to Sir JOHN P. HENNESSY.

The Glen, Friday morning,

DEAR SIR JOHN HENNESSY,

December 10, 1886. I AM much disappointed with the result of our interview yesterday. I was in hopes, from what had previously passed between us, that I should have been able to get away before this, but now I gather that the preparation of your defence may possibly occupy you weeks longer, and that it may then perhaps necessitate a re-opening the inquiry for the re-examination of witnesses.

The Cape Mail leaves to-day, and I must write by it to both the Premier and the Admiral as to my movements. I should, therefore, be glad to hear from you in the course of the forenoon something definite as to when you can let me have your defence. I am anxious, under the painful circumstances in which you are placed, to give you any reasonable time you may desire for its preparation, but it is necessary that I should know clearly your intentions in the matter, with a view to decide upon my own course of action.

I send this by Mr. Round, from Rose Hill, and he will, if you like, bring me your verbal answer, so as to save time.

I have told Mr. Solomon to accompany him, as you expressed yesterday, if I under- stood you rightly, a wish to confer with him on some points.

There is one upon which I hope there may be no difference of opinion between us. You referred yesterday to what you conceived to be mis-statements of fact upon the part of some of the official witnesses, and to the penalties to which they are liable for giving "wilful" false evidence under Ordinance 7 of this year. I consider that no officer should be in any way whatever molested, in consequence of what he has stated before the Royal Commission, until the whole care has been considered and decided on by the Secretary of State; and I trust you will not object, before I leave, to give me a written assurance to that effect.

(Signed)

Enclosure G, in No. 49.

Yours, &c.

HERCULES ROBINSON.

Sir JOHN P. HENNESSY to Sir HERCULES ROBINSON.

Le Réduit, Mauritius,

DEAR SIR HERCULES Robinson,

December 10, 1886.

MR. ROUND and Mr. Solomon brought me your note. To deal at once with the last part of it, I entirely agree with you that the penalties under the Ordinance should not be invoked against any officer who may have broken the Law, in wilfully giving false evidence, until the whole case has been considered and decided by the Secretary of State; and I need hardly add that no such officer should be molested or interfered with in the slightest degree.

As to the time when I can let you have my defence, I pointed out to Messrs. Round and Solomon that the evidence I had received from you up to yesterday, filled, with the papers connected with it, all the tables and some of the chairs in my private secretary's office and in my own office, and that, in some cases, the mass of manuscript was more than a foot deep. Having shown them the amount of work entailed in dealing with such evidence, I said I had mentioned to you yesterday my wish to have the assistance of two Counsel (the two leaders of the bar) to assist me in reading these papers and advising me, but that you did not think you could allow it. That being so, I was unable to say that my defence would be ready before several weeks.

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