CO129-370 - Governor Sir Lugard & Public Offices - 1910 [12] — Page 296

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entertainment allowance goes towards covering these expenses

but I have not as yet had time to do so. I have however

found that it is impossible in this climate to take

adequate care of the contents of the two Government Houses

and the property in them confided to my care by employing

exelusively a staff of Chinese servants however large, for

they need the constant daily supervision of a trained

European House-steward. I have therefore since I have been

in the Colony employed a man whom I brought from England

for this purpose. His entire time is occupied in these

duties, and he does no private work of any kind for myself.

His pay and food &c., of course fall upon me, and I may

without hesitation clain that as a result the cleanliness

and the preservation of Government House and its furniture

has been immensely promoted.

6.

As these questions are matters

which naturally do not lie in the decision of the Governor

whose personal interests they affect, I took occasion on

the recent visit of Mr. Stubbs of the Colonial Office to

invite his opinion on the question since he would be

familiar with the custom prevailing at other Government

Houses. He expressed considerable surprise at the fact that

the Governor here pays for the lighting not merely of such

rooms