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CHAPTER VII.
HOME AND DEFENCE BRANCH
Designation and allocation of subjects.
102. As mentioned in Chapter II, the subjects now held by the Political Adviser and the two Assistant Colonial Secretaries on Defence should be merged. It is recom- mended that further subjects considered allied should be included, the whole forming the responsibility of a Branch to be known as the Home and Defence Branch. The grouping of the subjects proposed will be found on the Distribution of Business List A (Appendix B).
Defence Registry.
103. This Branch have their own registry operated by two stenographers per- forming normal stenographic duties for the two Assistant Colonial Secretaries of the Branch. The reasons given for requiring this small decentralized registry were that it was necessary for security purposes and a more efficient service would be provided if staff handling their files specialized on the subjects of defence.
104. If the security reason is acknowledged and outweighs any other considera- tion then the Defence Registry should remain decentralized. However, the disadvan- tages of such an arrangement should be appreciated and they are as follows:
(1) Duplicate recording is taking place.
(2) Clerks who may not be fully experienced in registry work are placed
in full control of the registry.
(3) Stenographers are employed on a grade of salary for and are generally capable of doing, work of a higher grade than that required by a registry.
(4) The absence of direct supervision by a senior registry officer.
(5) Uneconomical in the use of space and equipment.
105. This registry should be combined with the Confidential Registry who should offer all the security required.
106. The "Secret" files should continue to be stored in the strong room now occupied by the Defence Registry.
107. Summary of recommendations made in this Chapter:
(1) The work of the Political Adviser and the Defence Branch should be merged into one Branch known as the Home and Defence Branch. (102)
(2) This registry should be combined with the Confidential Registry. (105)
(3) "Secret" files should continue to be stored in the strong room. (106)
CHAPTER VIII.
ESTABLISHMENT BRANCH
108. The senior officer of this Branch is the Establishment Officer and he was assisted by three Assistant Establishment Officers.
109. One Assistant Establishment Officer was employed on the preparation of a new Pensions Ordinance. While this report was being written, this officer left on long leave and it is understood his post will not be filled.
Functions.
110. It was seen that much of the time of this Branch was taken up with the approval of cases arising out of leave, passages, pensions and allowances.