§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSON (Dundee)asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. Thomas Ross, lately Head Master of the Grammar School of St. Vincent; and if he will state the general terms upon which such Colonial appointments are held, whether for life or otherwise, and in what code of regulations such terms are sot forth; the special terms under which Mr. Ross held his appointment, and the documents setting forth these terms; the rules for the regulation of the amount of compensation to be granted to such officers on their retiring from office, being deprived of office, or their office being abolished; whether any charges were ever made against Mr. Ross, or intimated to him, or substantiated against him, in terms of section 83 and subsequent sections of the Rules 1431 and Regulations for the Colonial Service; whether Mr. Ross has been deprived of his office, and for what reasons; the date of the abolition of the office, and what notice was given to Mr. Ross of its abolition, and under what official document such notice, if any, was given to Mr. Ross; whether a sworn document was lodged with the Governor of St. Vincent showing that, in consequence of Mr. Ross being turned out of his dwelling house and school buildings on a few days' notice and otherwise, he had lost £1,035; whether Her Majesty's Government have refused to pay Mr. Ross this amount of loss, or to compensate him for the loss of his office, and for what reasons and under what legislative authority; and, whether Her Majesty's Government now propose to pay the pecuniary loss which Mr. Ross has sustained, and to compensate him for the loss of his office, and to what extent?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. OSBORNE MORGAN) (Denbighshire, E.)My hon. Friend has asked me a string of Questions which are more like a set of searching interrogatories in an action at law than a Question addressed to a Minister; but I will answer them as well as I can. My attention has been called to this case of Mr. Ross, late Head Master of the St. Vincent Grammar School. Such appointments are generally expressed to be held during Her Majesty's pleasure, and upon the terms set forth in the Colonial Rules and Regulations, chap. IV., which also regulate the amount of pension to be granted to Colonial officers on retirement from office. In Colonies like St. Vincent, where there is no law providing for pensions, the cases of officers whose office is abolished are generally dealt with on the principles of the Imperial Superannuation Acts, which give no absolute right to retiring allowances or to compensation, and do not deprive the heads of Departments of their power to dismiss persons from the Public Service without compensation. The St. Vincent Grammar School was established by a Colonial Ordinance, dated July 31, 1878, under which the Governor was empowered to appoint a Master of the School, and for just cause to remove or suspend such Master. Charges of neglect of duty and disobedience of orders were made and substantiated against Mr. Ross in January, 1885, in terms of Sec- 1432 tion 83 sqq. of the Colonial Rules and Regulations, and he was suspended by the Governor, with the advice of his Executive Council; but such suspension was not confirmed by Lord Derby, who thought his conduct was not of so grave a nature as to call for so severe a punishment. Mr. Ross's office was abolished by an Ordinance which received the Governor's assent on October 1, 1885, repealing that of July 31, 1878, and he was thereupon deprived of his office. The reason for this step was the utter failure of the Grammar School under Mr. Ross's direction to meet the requirements of such a school. Notice of the introduction of the Ordinance was given to Mr. Ross on September 12, 1885, in a letter addressed to him by the Lieutenant Governor informing him that his services would not be required after the 30th of the same month, and he was subsequently required to give up the house which he occupied as Master on November 1, 1885. It has been stated on Mr. Ross's behalf that his property was valued by a sworn valuator at £725, and that he has presented to the Governor a claim for £1,035 0s. 1d. in respect of loss sustained by him; but no Report on the subject has reached the Colonial Office. The late Secretary of State for the Colonies (Sir Frederick Stanley) refused to grant Mr. Ross any compensation for the abolition of his office, because of his inefficiency and neglect of duty; but in consideration of the shortness of the notice given him recommended the Governor of the Windward Islands to propose to the Legislative Council of St. Vincent the grant to Mr. Ross of a sum equivalent to three months' full salary. This grant Mr. Ross has declined to accept. Under these circumstances, Her Majesty's Government do not consider that they are under any obligation, legislative or otherwise, to make any further payment or compensation to Mr. Ross, and they do not propose to do so.