§ Mr. DOUGLAS HALLasked whether Lieut.-Col. Kilkelly, House Governor and Medical Superintendent at Osborne, frequently complained of the interference of the secretary and other officers of the Office of Works between him and his subordinates; and whether, in view of the difficulty of maintaining efficiency and discipline at Osborne while such interference was allowed to continue, Lieut.-Colonel Kilkelly recently resigned his position?
Mr. DUDLEY WARDIn reply to the hon. Member I have to state that on 15th November, 1910, Lieut.-Colonel Kilkelly addressed a letter to the First Commissioner of Works, complaining of interference, 882 as described in the question; this is the first complaint of the kind which the First Commissioner received from Lieut.-Colonel Kilkelly; that, in reply to a letter from Lord Beauchamp, requesting further information as to the specific cases complained of, Lieut.-Colonel Kilkelly addressed a further memorandum to the First Commissioner, dated 19th November, 1910; on 13th December, 1910, the First Commissioner had a prolonged interview with Lieut.-Colonel Kilkelly; and following that interview Lord Beauchamp made careful inquiry into the cases quoted by Lieut.-Colonel Kilkelly. On 15th December, 1910, the First Commissioner wrote to Lieut.-Colonel Kilkelly to the effect that his statements appeared to him to be without foundation. On 28th December, 1910, Lieut.-Colonel Kilkelly wrote to the First Commissioner resigning the post of House Governor and Medical Superintendent. On 6th January, 1911, the First Commissioner wrote accepting Lieut.-Colonel Kilkelly's resignation; and, in doing so, stated that he had given him full opportunity of substantiating his allegations, and had satisfied himself that they could not be upheld.