To proceed to the duties
of the officers.
"The Governor-in-Chief would fulfil his present large functions, and be
the medium of communication between the Company and their officers in
the country.
"Under the present system the Governor is supposed to maintain a
personal supervision of the whole service. This is practically
impossible, the country being too large to enable him to travel over
more than a limited section of it in each season. To relieve him of
that heavy duty, and at the same time to maintain a real and close
personal inspection, one of the four councillors might be stationed in
each department, of which, in the absence of the Governor, he would be
the chief officer, and held responsible for all local details, and the
various posts in which he should periodically inspect and report upon.
Once, or oftener, in each year, a meeting of the Governor and the four
councillors should be held, at any time or place most convenient - say,
Fort Garry, Montreal, or elsewhere. Aided by such a council, the
Governor would be accurately informed as to details in every part of
the country, and able to deal satisfactorily with all local questions.
"The duty of the Lieutenant-Governor would be to relieve the Governor-
in-Chief of some share of his labours, and to act in his absence as
President of Council.
"The chief traders would, as a general rule, be placed at the head of
districts, and the clerks in charge of posts.
"The very efficient class of officers known as 'postmasters' would
remain as at present. They are usually men who have risen from the
ranks from merit; and, being good interpreters, and Indian traders, are
commonly placed in charge of small posts. Their scale of pay is rather
less than that of clerks, and they are rarely advanced to any higher
rank; indeed, their ambition is satisfied when they are made
postmasters.
"Reverting to the mode of paying officers, and making their incomes to
some extent dependent on the success of the business, it might answer
to give them an interest as stockholders. Instead of paying a chief
trader 300l. per annum, he might have 250l., and a sum of
1,000l. of stock placed to his credit, of which he would receive
the dividends only, the stock itself reverting to the Company when his
connection with them terminated.
"A councillor might have 700l. pay and the dividends on
2,000l. stock. It would also be a great encouragement to the
officers, and secure prolonged service, to give them an annual increase
of stock - say, 200l. to be added for every year's service.
