Confidential
22d August 1864
Sir
1. I have been informed and have reason to believe that Mr W.A.G. Young Colonial Secretary, now on leave of absence in England, will not return to this Colony; it being his intention to accept the office of Secretary to Admiral Talbot, commanding a home station, and that it was with this view He obtained leave of absence from my Predecessor just prior to my arrival in the Colony and left it shortly after I assumed the Government.
2. Though Mr Youngs departure by which I was left without a Colonial Secretary immediatelyafterManuscript image after I assumed the Government and the refusal of the Legislature to provide Salary for a Private Secretary, caused me great inconvenience and embarrassment, I could not cancel Mr Youngs leave without committing an act of discourtesy to my Predecessor.
3. I was, under these circumstances obliged to avail myself of the services of the clerk to the Colonial Secretary who proved to be wholly incompetent to carry on the duties of the office which Mr Young I regret to say left in a very unsatisfactory condition.
4. No register had ever been kept and reference to papers and documents thus became a work of great labor and delay and in some cases altogetherimpossibleManuscript image impossible.
5. Mr Henry Wakeford, Police Magistrate of Western Australia fortunately arrived on leave of absence at this time and I immediately availed myself of his services as Acting Colonial Secretary (as reported in my despatch No 29 dated 4 June 1864) under whose intelligence and industry the office is rapidly acquiring order and regularity.
6. The character and capacity of the Public officers of the Colony taking them as a body is of a low calibre and I derive little support or assistance from them.
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7. I would earnestly recommend Mr Wakeford being appointed Colonial Secretary in the Event of Mr Young vacating the office.
8. Mr Wakeford has since 1855 held the offices of Private Secretary, Clerk of the Councils and latterly that of Police Magistrate in Western Australia, in all of which offices He acquitted himself with great credit and did good service, and I feel confident He will prove a valuable public servant if appointed here.
9. I think under the circumstances in which I am placed that it would not be unreasonable to enquire of Mr Young whether He contemplated accepting another office, and whetherHeManuscript image He intended to return at the expiration of his leave of absence to enable me to make provision for carrying on the Public Service.
In the event of Mr Wakeford resuming his office in Western Australia I have no officer here capable of conducting the business of the Secretary's office and Mr Young should be required to return to his duties at the expiration of his leave.
Note this.
[ABd]
I have the honor to
be
Sir Your very obedient
humble Servant
A.E. Kennedy
Governor
Minutes by CO staff
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Sir F. Rogers
Mr Young informed me orally that he had declined to be Secretary to Admiral Talbot at Sheerness. Mr Young's leave of absence expires on the [blank] May next.
Ansr Capn Kennedy that the wishes he has expressed in favor of Mr Wakeford cannot be complied with as Mr Young has not accepted the apptment of Secy to Admiral Sir Chas Talbot. Add that care will be taken to require Mr Young to return at the expiration of his leave of absence?
ABd 15 Octr
Mr Cardwell
I think we ought to get this from Mr Young in black & white.
FR 15/10
EC 16
Other documents included in the file
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Rogers to W.A.G. Young, 20 October 1864, inquiring whether he intended to resume his office in Vancouver Island at the expiration of his leave.
Kennedy, Arthur to Cardwell, Edward 22 August 1864, CO 305:23, no. 9483, 79. The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.0, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/V64159CO.html.

Last modified: 2020-03-30 13:22:16 -0700 (Mon, 30 Mar 2020) (SVN revision: 4193)