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Paragraph 7.-With the opening early next year of the new female prison at Laichi- kok it will be necessary to station one European hospital supervisor at Laichikok to look after the two prisons there. This will leave one at Victoria Gaol. No reduction can therefore be made.
Paragraph 8. The recommendation has been carried out.
Paragraph 9.-The Treasurer to whom the matter was referred is fully satisfied as to the relative cheapness of Gaol printing to printing by a private firm working for profit.
Paragraph 10.-The proportion of prisoners convicted for petty offences is very small; for instance only 1% of the prison population is in gaol for hawking offences, of which there are many kinds. The public would be the first to complain if police action was not taken against the commission of petty offences. The question of binding over first offenders and requiring them to report at regular intervals has recently been dealt with by the Juvenile Courts Committee, and is bound up with the question of Probation Officers and a Reformatory. Both these matters are receiving the close attention of Government. Habitual offenders have always been treated as such.
Banishment pro- cedure is as expeditious as possible. "Long procedure" is in the interests of the suspect.
TARY'S
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
Paragraphs 1-6.-Government accepts the criticism that there has been "over centralisation" in the Secretariat. Permits to occupy Crown land, rent allowances, house allowances, dental treatment allowances, indents on the Crown Agents, have been removed from the Coloniay Secretary's Office either wholly or to the greatest extent possible. On the other hand it has been found that Colonial Regulations, which as the are imposed on all Crown Colonies, prevent decentralisation in such matters appointment of officers, unless they are non-pensionable, i.e., in receipt of a salary of $300 or less per annum.
Paragraph 7.-Government considers three Cadet Officers in addition to the Principal Assistant Colonial Secretary to be the minimum requirement. The staff is based on a full day's work for each officer under normal conditions, and unfortunately overtime is the rule rather than the exception. The Senior Clerical and Accounting Staff and Junior Clerical Service have already been dealt with. It is interesting, however, to note that a 20% reduction on these heads is recommended, though in the opening paragraph it is stated that more overtime is worked in this office than probably in any other Govern- ment department. A few years ago, as a result of persistent sickness in the Colonial Secretary's Office staff, an office rule had to be made, that no clerk,-with the exception of a few, who took it in turns, to attend to the receiving and despatching of documents and other essential business.-should remain in the office after 6 p.m.
CADET SERVICE.
Government concurs in this recommendation, which is in accordance with its policy.
SENIOR CLERICAL AND ACCOUNTING STAFF.
Paragraph 1.-Apart from the recommendation in this section of the Report for a general reduction of 20%, the following specific reductions have been recommended under the different departments :-
Harbour Office-Four officers or 67% of the Senior Clerical and Accounting
Staff in the department.
Supreme Court-Two officers or 67%.
Police Department--One officer or 12.5%.
Colonial Secretary's Office
and
Public Works Department
.20% each.
For the following departments it has been recommended that no reductions at all be made
Attorney General; Crown Solicitor; Land Officer; Magistracies; Treasury; Post
Office; Imports & Exports. Office; Medical and Sanitary.