CAPTAIN HUME'S APPOINTMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 147, 25 June 1881, Page 2

CAPTAIN HUME'S APPOINTMENT.

The papers relating to the appointment of Captain Hume as Inspector of New Zealand Prisons were laid before Parliament yesterday. The terms of engagement, which the Agent-General was authorised to offer, were as follows : — The salary not to exceed .£6OO per annum ; travelling expenses of Inspector and his family to New Zealand to be paid ; no payment to be due on account of any " extra services " ; all claims on account of expenses f< r travelling in the colony to be made within 7 days atter the close of each month ; the agreement to be for 3 years, terminable at 6 months' notice on either side ; if terminated by the Government within the 3 years, the passage Homo of the Inspector and his family to be paid ; the engagement to pease if the Inspector should become incapacitated from performing dutio3, or should refuse or neglect to carry out the terms of his engagement. Sir Julius Vogol advertised the nppointment on these terms, and received 37 applications. On sifting them, however, he found only one to be generally suitable, and he proved to be in such a weak state of bodily health as to be unfitted for tho post. Accordingly, Sir Julius Vogel both wrote and telegraphed to Government, asking for authority to offer better terms, as he saw no chance of obtaining a thoroughly suitable man on those which he had been instructed to offer. He urged thnt tho salary was inadequate to tempt a first-class man to leave an English appointment, especially as the engagement was only for three years, and terminable at six months' notice. He suggested that it should be made a permanent one under tho provisions of the Civil Service Act. At this stage there is a manifest hiatus in the correspondence, for in the next letter Sir Julius Vogel announces with great satisfaction that he had been able to secure the services of Captain Hume, who is described as 40 years of age, as having held the important post of Deputy Governor in the State Prisons at Milbank, Dartmoor, Portland, and Wormwood Scrubs, and as having been strongly recommended by Sir Edward Dv Cane. Then follow some letters from Captain Hume, asking that he might have either Government quarters or a lodging allowance, both being invariably given with prison appointments in England. He stated that he had no idea house rent was so high in the colony, as he now found it, or he would not have accepted the appointment, as he would be worse off instead of better than he was as Deputy Governor. To this bir J. Vogel replied that he had no power to vary the terms of the agreement, or to hold out any hopes of the Government doing so. The agreement was then signed, and Captain Hume subsequently entered on his duties.