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As regards those Members of the Service who are resident in the Colony, and who are principally Portuguese, the rate of expenditure is, naturally, considerably less, and would amount in a case similar to that given above to about $200 a month. A sum between $200 and $500 per month would fairly represent the expenditure which might be reasonably incurred by resident Officers holding the higher clerical appointments, and by those non-resident who, though not Heads of Departments, hold positions of responsibility. The salaries of junior unmarried Officers would, naturally, be in the proportion of to of those of their Seniors.

7. Unless these estimates are to be regarded as utterly unreasonable, a reference to the table of salaries at present paid will show how small a proportion they bear to the expenditure which their recipients (who it must be remembered are much more public men in the East than they are in the majority of cases in England) find themselves called upon to incur.

8. It may be urged that, so long as young men are to be found willing to enter the service at the present rate of pay, and to remain there, the rate must be suffi- cient, but we would submit that young men are always ready to accept any offer which appears at first glance promising, and that, after spending 5 or 6 years in the service, it is very difficult if not impossible for them to adopt any other pro- fession, however dissatisfied they may be with their remuneration. That dissatis- faction among the members of the Service is most undesirable is an opinion of His Excellency to which he has, on more than one occasion, given expression.

9. I attach a list of the salaries paid to a number of the Officers in 1860 and now, from which it will be seen that, while both the population and the revenue have more than doubled during that period, in only 7 out of 39 cases has the pay of those Officers as estimated in dollars been increased, while, in all but two instances, there has been a decrease (amounting in 32 cases to over 25 per cent.) in the pay as estimated in sterling, in which it must be remembered much of the expenditure has to be met. Appointments made more recently have not been so injuriously affected, though, as will be seen, the unfortunate fall in the dollar has left none undisturbed.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

N. G. MITCHELL-INNES, for the Committee.

Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,:

Colonial Secretary,

&c.,

&C.,

&c.