CO129-304 - Governor Sir Blake - 1901 [1-4] — Page 48

1

ฟ

Enclosure 2.

29th bot 1896.

attached.

CO.

3440

Rece

FEB Q!

46

minute of the 29th.October, 1896, a copy of which is also

6. It was decided by my predecessor Bir

William Robinson that Mr.May's position was untenable.He had

been appointed Superintendent of Fire Brigade, and it was the

Superintendent's duty to be present and to assume personal

control when the Brigade was engaged in the exercise of its

duties. If his absence were shown to be the cause of trouble

or inefficiency he would be held directly responsible.

7. The question has recently been brought

to my notice for the first time, and careful consideration

has led me to the opinion that Mr.May's contentions were

sound. I concur with him that from a Police point of view it

is undesirable that the Captain Superintendent of Police

should be required to attend regularly at fires.As Superin-

tendent of the Brigade he should be throughly acquainted

with its working; and Mr. May was and is willing and ready to

assume the ultimate responsibility and to be answerable for

any inefficiency on the part of the Brigade which may indi-

rectly prejudice the extinction of fires.More responsibility

than this Mr.May is unwilling to incur, and I am of opinion

that his heavy and constantly-increasing duties as Captain

Superintendent of Police preclude the possibilityof his dis-

charging an additional duty of so onerous a nature in a man-

ner satisfactory to himself or ultimately beneficial to the

community.