Confidential

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 immediately 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 altogether 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.

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 whether 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.

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