85.
111. This Branch should be responsible only for establishment policy and for general establishment matters of Cadet Officers, Heads of Departments and their immediate assistants. Until arrangements are made to confine the work of this Branch to policy and establishment matters for senior officers, the subjects of this Branch should be re-grouped as shown on the proposed Distribution of Business List A (Appendix B).
Checking computations of leave, pensions, etc.
112. Leave, pensions and similar cases are computed by executive Departments and checked by the Accountant General who holds details of an officer's service and con- ditions of employment. Before, and in some cases after, such matters are referred to the Accountant General, this Branch checks all details with the papers resting in the Branch and finally records their approval.
113. It is appreciated that many cases are referred to this Branch as required by General Orders, for the Branch to give its approval "By Command". General Orders are being revised and if provision is then made for authorized claims, with the exception of cases referred to in Item 111 above, to be submitted direct by the Heads of Departments to the Accountant General for his checking and passing for payment, etc., much work and staff will be saved in the Establishment Branch and also in executive Departments who now prepare and copy minutes and memoranda sent to and from this Branch.
Responsibilities of Establishment Officer.
114. The Establishment Officer has for some months been fully engaged on salaries revision and to enable him to complete this work rapidly, an arrangement was made whereby the Assistant Establishment Officers forwarded some cases direct to the Deputy Colonial Secretary for his information and decision. The salaries revision work is now nearing completion, and more cases are coming up from the Assistant Estab- lishment Officers to the Establishment Officer. As mentioned previously, any arrange- ment whereby the Establishment Officer is kept uninformed of the work of his Branch or which requires the Deputy Colonial Secretary to be directly responsible for a subject, should be discouraged. The Colonial Secretary should continue to be informed and give his decision on matters of policy, and discipline, and the appointment, transfer and leave of senior officers, and on other exceptional cases.
Leave Record.
115. A record of leave is kept by this Branch on forms G.F. 112, G.F. 113 and also in a Register G.F. 99. All the essential information contained in Register G.F. 99 is also on G.F. 112.
116. It is recommended that Register G.F. 99 should no longer be used.
117. When a Secretariat assistant applies for short leave, he usually prepares a typewritten application.
118. This practice should be abolished and one simple leave form printed for the application and approval.
CLERICAL SERVICES.
Organization.
119. This is the only Branch within the Secretariat which has the facility of a clerical service beyond that given by registries. But the assistance given by this service should be widened and proposals are given below on how this may be achieved.
120. A chart.of the present organization is given on Appendix E, and of the pro- posed organization on Appendix F.