A. D. R.
4
4. I am quite ready to admit, on behalf of this Government, that, looking to the large amount of business passing through the hands of the Crown Agents, some delay, more than if the articles were ordered direct, may be unavoidable; but by calling attention to the matter it is not impossible that quicker despatch may be given in future.
5. Reporting generally on the matter, I may add that dissatisfaction is not in- frequently caused by a tendency which, rightly or wrongly, is attributed to the Crown Agents to attach more importance to the excuses or denials of incriminated agents or firms than to the remonstrances of Colonial Governments, who believe themselves to be aggrieved by delay or by mismanagement in the execution of their orders.
6. I lay no great stress on the above criticisms. Ground for them arises but occasionally, and, taking a broad view of the matter, I am satisfied that the business of this Colony is transacted by the Crown Agents in a satisfactory manner.
ነ
5
From the Chief Magistrate.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR,
I HAVE no complaint whatever to make against the Crown Agents.
July 4, 1901.
From the Acting Colonial Engineer.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR,
I HAVE no complaint to lodge against the Crown Agents. July 6, 1901.
27276
I have, &c.,
C. A. KING-HARMAN,
Governor.
No. 5.
GAMBIA.
GOVERNOR SIR G. C. DENTON to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
From the Superintendent of Police.
W.P.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR,
THE Police and Prison Departments have no complaints whatever to make against the Crown Agents.
July 8, 1901.
J. B.
From the Colonial Surgeon.
| PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
لسل
Reference :-
C.O. 885
SIR,
(No. 144.) -
(Received August 5, 1901.)
Government House, Bathurst, July 13, 1901.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your circular despatch of the 1st ultimo, and in reply to it I forward you copies of the reports I have obtained from the different Departments on the manner in which the Crown Agents have carried out the commercial business of this Co1ny entrusted to them.
2. From these reports it wou appear that matters have been conducted in a satisfactory manner; but with rd to the third paragraph of the despatch under reply I feel bound to say that iu se instances there has, I consider, been undue delay in the delivery of the articles requisitioned for, notably in the case of the roof ordered for female Hospital which was indented for in January last and has not yet been received; some envelopes also which were much required have only been received by this mail though the requisition for them went home in March last.
I have, &c.,
GEORGE C. DENTON,
Governor.
H1B EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR,
I KNOW of no instances of mistakes or neglect on the part of the Crown Agents.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR,
R. M. F., Colonial Surgeon.
July 11, 1901.
From the Master, Government Steamer “Mansah Kilah."
I KNOW of no cause for complaint against the Crown Agents.
July 13, 1901.
R. FENWICK Battey.
27189
8
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
Enclosure in No. 5.
Transaction of commercial business by Crown Agents.
REPORTS addressed to His Excellency the Governor Sir George C. DENTON,
K.C.M.G.
From the Acting Treasurer, Collector of Customs, and Postmaster.
HIS EXCELLENCY,
I HAVE made all possible enquiry and research and can ascertain no instance in which either the Treasury or Customs Departments have had reason to make any complaint against the Crown Agents.
July 3, 1901.
W. R.
(No. 69.) SIB,
No. 6.
BAHAMAS.
GOVERNOR SIR G. T. CARTER to MR. CHAMBERLAIN. (Received August 5, 1901.)
Government House, Nassau, July 17, 1901.
I HAVE had under consideration your circular of the 1st June, inquiring whether I am entirely satisfied with the relations between the Crown Agents and the Colony under my administration, in view of complaints which have been made of mistakes or neglect on the part of the Crown Agents in regard to the commercial business entrusted to them.
2. In reply I beg to state that so far as my experience here is concerned, and I may add, my experience of the work of the Crown Agents Department during my varied career in the Colonial Service, I have found them most attentive to the business entrusted to them. It is, perhaps, inevitable that in a Department where there is so much to be done, and in which I understand the staff has not been increased in proportion to the expansion of the general business of the Crown Agents, that there should sometimes be undue
6
delay in attending to Colonial Requisitions, and if there could be quicker despatch in this matter, there would, I think, be no reasonable cause for complaint in regard to the methods of the Department in question.
3. As an illustration of what would appear to be unnecessary delay in carrying out orders from this Government, I enclose a list of articles requisitioned for last year with the date of requisition, and the date of receipt, together with a memorandum from Mr. Miller, the Surveyor General, who has supplied the list in question.
I have, &c.,
G. T. CARTER.
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