CO882-(4-5) — Page 102

124

Mr. Solomon thereupon said he thought you were inclined, after consideration, to let me engage Counsel. If that be so, I can undertake to get through the papers quicker; and, you kindly send me a telegram, I shall at once send for the two Counsel, and, after consultation, let you know how soon you may expect to receive my defence.

Yours, &c. (Signed)

J. POPE HENNESSY.

125

I think that you may remain at Réduit if you like until the Secretary of State's decision is known, unless you would prefer to return to England on leave of absence.

Yours, &c. (Signed) HERCULES ROBINSON.

7 p.m.

P.8.-Since writing the foregoing, I have received your note dated the 12th, but which was only delivered to Mr. Round at the office in Port Louis this afternoon. I can only add that you can of course take the three further weeks you desire to prepare your defence, and that, between this and Saturday next, the 18th," when I start, I shall be ready to examine any witnesses you produce.

CEPI

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

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

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

Enclosure H. in No. 49. TELEGRAM.

From Sir H. ROBINSON, The Glen, to His Excellency the GOVERNOR, Réduit. 10th. With reference to your note of to-day, I must have misunderstood what you said yesterday, for I see no objection if you think proper, to your engaging Counsel simply to assist you in reading the evidence with the papers connected with it, and advising you as to your defence. I shall feel obliged if you will send me back each day's evidence as soon as you have done with it.

Enclosure I. in No. 49.

HERCULES ROBINSON.

Sir JoHN P. HENNESSY to Sir HERCULES ROBINSON.

DEAR SIR HERCULES ROBINSON,

Le Réduit, Mauritius,

December 12, 1886. On the receipt of your telegram allowing me to engage Counsel, I lost no time in doing so.

Looking to the mass of evidence, and to our correspondence of the 3rd instant as to the mode of dealing with it, these gentlemen are of opinion that it will take me at least three weeks from to-day to complete the work I have in hand, and in this opinion I concur.

Meanwhile, as I suggested to Mr. Round on Friday, the majority of the English heads of departments and the majority of the other English officials can, I examined. I understand they are prepared to negative the four charges laid against presume, be me by the minority of the English officials.

Yours, &c.

(Signed) J. POPE HENNESSY.

SIB,

Enclosure L. in No. 49.

ROYAL COMMISSIONER to Sir JOHN POPE HENNESSY.

The Glen, December 13, 1886.

have decided that it is

I REGRET to have to inform your Excellency that expedient in the interest of the Queen's Service in Mauritius that there should be a change in the Administration of the Government of the Colony,

I propose, therefore, by virtue of the Commission authorising me to act in such a case, to assume the Governinent on Wednesday next.

I have the honour to enclose, for your Excellency's information, a copy of the Commission to which I have referred.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

HERCULES ROBINSON,

Royal Commissioner.

His Excellency Sir John Pope Hennessy, K.C.M.G.,

SIR,

&c.

&c.

Réduit.

&c.

Enclosure K. in No. 49.

Sir HERCULES ROBINSON to Sir JOHN P. Hennessy,

DEAR SIR JOHN Hennessy,

The Glen, December 13, 1886.

Ir is with sincere regret that I have arrived at the conclusion conveyed to you in the accompanying official letter.

It has been arrived at on general grounds, which would not be affected by your defence.

I have told Captain Wilson I mean to leave this on Saturday afternoon next for the Cape where my presence is required. As I have not heard from you defence, I presume you will not have it ready before I start, in which case you can about your send it to me to the Cape through the Secretary of the Royal Commission, who will remain behind.

If your defence is not complete before Saturday, I would of course leave with you a copy of the whole of the evidence, and to enable this to be done, I should feel obliged if you will return the original evidence by Mr. Newton, whom I will send to-morrow morning to Réduit for it.

Enclosure M. in No. 49.

Sir JOHN P. HENNESSY to ROYAL COMMISSIONER.

Le Réduit, December 14, 1886.

On the receipt of your Excellency's two letters of yesterday's date, I at once. handed over to your Private Secretary, in compliance with your request, the whole of the evidence, on which I was at work when he called.

Your Excellency informs me that you have decided that it is expedient that there should be a change in the administration of the Government of Mauritius, and that you have arrived at this decision on general grounds which would not be affected by my defence.

Your Excellency also informs une that you will leave Mauritius on Saturday, the 18th, for the Cape, where your presence is required, that I can take three further weeks for preparing my defence, and that you will be ready to examine any witnesses I

produce up to Saturday, on which day you must start for the Cape.

ma

In other words, whilst I was in the very act of preparing my defence, you suspend me from office, without waiting for my defence.

I do not think the decision to which you have come is entirely consistent with com- munications I have received from Mr. Stanhope, or, with the instructions be addressed to your Excellency, and which were transmitted to me in his despatch of the 29th of September.

You have not mentioned what are the general grounds on which, without hearing the defence, you have come to a decision, but I gathered from the frank communications wẹ have had up to Thursday last, that, as regards the question between Mr. Clifford Lloyd and myself, and respecting which you did not ask me for any further explanations after my Minute of the 3rd instant, you were satisfied that Mr. Clifford Lloyd was in the wrong, and that you were also with me as to my alleged interference at the elections, the allogod increase of crime, the alleged maladministration of the finances, my alleged indus leniency to prisoners and some minor points.

On the other hand, the evidence of a minority of the English-born officials contained minute statements in support of four charges, which statements you very naturally ૧૩