The case of Fitzgerald v Ford and Pantin. Despatches from G F Hill, Governor of Trinidad,...

CO 295/116

1837

The case of Fitzgerald v Ford and Pantin. Despatches from G F Hill, Governor of Trinidad, concerning the case. Content is as follows:

• Governor G F Hill states the facts of the charges made by Mr Fitzgerald, Second Clerk in the Treasury, against Mr Ford, the Treasurer, and Mr Pantin, the Examiner and Compiler of Public Accounts; the charges being that Ford and Pantin laid before the Council an account of the balance of the Colony which was false since they omitted any account of sums handed over by Mr Fitzgerald during a two-week period;
• The Governor reports his former trust in Mr Ford and the latter's defence against the charges, namely that the omission occurred because such payments were not normally included in the balance until the end of the month;
• Reports on the steps taken immediately;
• Requests that the government allow Mr Fitzgerald the investigation he solicits;
• Institutes an investigation into the charges against Ford and Pantin;
• Reports on the proceedings of the investigation including the evidence against each man and their defences, neither of which he finds convincing;
• Reports the results of the investigation, which condemn Mr Ford and Mr Pantin as incontestably deficient, having applied upwards of £5000 for the purchase of compensation claims;
• States the consequent grounds for the complaints of both Mr Ford and Mr Pantin against the governor himself, and answers these charges against his own conduct;
• Forwards much correspondence squabbling about the proper protocol of sending certain letters;
• The complete report of the investigation as enclosed in despatch no 51 of 26 July 1837 [folios 281-511]

Public Record(s)

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International

Litigation

Caribbean