CO129-317 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [4-6] — Page 243

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to Mr. Wolfe as Secretary to the Public Works Commission, and

the appointment of Mr. Ross to act as Secretary of the

Squatters Board on $100 a month, were not submitted for ap-

proval. Mr. Wolfe had a considerable amount of work to perform

in connection with the Commission, and its Members unanimously

recommended him for the bonus in question. The work was quite

outside his ordinary duties.

5.

The duties of the Secretary of the Squatters'

Board were discharged by Mr. Bruce Shepherd until his departure

on leave of absence on the 5th. April, 1901. No salary was

attached to the post, the duties of which Mr. Shepherd dis-

charged in conjunction with the ordinary functions of Land

Officer. During Mr. Shepherd's absence on leave, Mr. Wakeman

(who was acting for him) reported that there were arrears of

work in connection with the Squatters' Board which it was

impossible for him to overtake without assistance. He urged

the desirability, therefore, of finding an Officer to do the

work so that the outstanding claims could be settled once and

for all. The Colonial Secretary, Mr. Lockhart, then recommended

that Mr. Ross, a Passed Cadet, be appointed to act as Secretary

to the Board as a temporary arrangement in addition to per-

forming the duties which had been assigned to him in the

Colonial Secretary's Office. I attach a copy of Mr. Lockhart's

minute of 11th. February, 1902, which met with the approval

of the Officer Administering the Goverment, and in which it

was recommended that Mr. Ross should be allowed to draw $100

a month, in addition to his pay as Passed Cadet, for his work

/

in the Colonial Secretary's Office and as Secretary of the

Squatters' Board. The fact was not overlooked that the Secretary-

-ship

Losure 2.

Ebruary,