Colonial Despatches

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Grace's despatch No 55 of the 1st May, forwarding a letter from Mr Heseltine representing that a sum ofSixty Sixty six Pounds, thirteen shillings and four pence (£66.13.4) was due at the time of his decease to his late son, on account of salary as Steam Inspector to this Government.

2. With reference to the above claim I have the honor to acquaint your Grace, that Mr Heseltine was appointed to the office of Inspecting Engineer as represented, but he nevercompleted completed any one single Act of the important duty it was intended he should perform, altho' many times called upon to do so; alleging as a reason that he was waiting until he could obtain apparatus suitable for testing the peculiar boilers used on this coast. It would seem from a letter addressed by him to the Harbour Master in reply to a Requisition for a Report on the condition of theSteam Steam vessels, that he had been on board most of them and had made a provisional inspection as he termed it. No Certificates of the fact were however forthcoming, and I am inclined to believe these provisional inspections consisted mainly in using his reputed Office for the purpose of obtaining passages backwards and forwards between this place and British Columbia, and up the Fraser River, in the different steam vessels.

3. For these reasons I considered that Mr Heseltine could not be regarded as having any claim to a salary which was to be given for specific services rendered, and it would almost appear that Mr Heseltine so regarded it himself, for he never preferred any claim.

4. At the time of Mr Heseltines appointment, from the number of high pressure steam vessels running between these Colonies, it was highly desirable if notindispensable indispensable as a necessary security to life and property that the Office of Inspecting Engineer should be created. Mr Heseltine was brought to my notice, as a person possessing superior attainments as an Engineer both theoretically and practically, of most respectable connections, and, in short, as the only thoroughly qualified individual in the community. These representations I have every reason to believe were strictlycorrect correct, but unfortunately he was also a person of dissolute and erratic habits, and much given to inebriety. Of this I only became aware after his death, but to these propensities unquestionably may be attributed the non-performance of the duties of his Office.