CO129-355 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1909 [1-3] — Page 141

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contention in his letter of 20th January, 1909, that he

had been unfairly treated, and said that nothing remained

except for him to petition the King, which (he said)

would be a very serious matter indeed and would involve

a reference of the whole question to the Privy Council. I

enquired what it was precisely that he wished me to do,

I had pointed out in my letter of January 29th, that I

could not re-open a question which had been referred to the

Secretary of State and upon which Your Lordship had given

a final decision. He said that that decision was based on

the advice of legal authorities at the Colonial Office

whom he did not recognise as superior to himself. That he

desired was that the question should be submitted to some

one higher in the legal profession than himself and I

gathered that he desired that I should support this view

in forwarding his despatch to Your Lordship.

5.

As I presume this interview was

sought in order that I should convey to Your Lordship the

very strong view entertained by the Chief Justice of the

gravity of this matter (though I have refrained from

quoting the expressions of which he made use in emphasizing

those views), and to invoke my friendly offices in urging

upon Your Lordship the course which he desires, and to

inform