СОРУ.
Enclosure.
10964
&
230
Minute by the Acting Harbour Master.
K
H
Hon. Col. Secy..
27 MAR 0:
Mr. Crake has now been doing duty as
Temporary Asst. Marine Surveyor for nearly two months, and
has proved himself to be thoroughly efficient and hard working.
During this period, the arrears of
Surveyors work have nearly been eliminated, but I still
receive complaints as to delays in surveying ships, which
cause detention of the ships and consequent loss to the
shipping firms. These delays are unavoidable, in view of the
enormous amount of work to be got through by this subdepart-
ment, and the fact that the work was sadly in arrear when Mr. Crake was engaged, owing to the undermanning of the staff. The Acting Government Marine Surveyor, Mr. Macdonald is, I am sorry to say, laid up with nervous debility, due, I am confi- dent, to the long hours and extremely onerous nature of his duties. In his absence, which I trust will not be for long, I
am confident that Mr. Munford and Mr. Crake will do their
utmost to prevent the work getting still more in arrear, but
I doubt their being able to do so.
Mac do-
I would point out that last year Mr.
Dixon was seriously ill, from the same cause that Mr. nald is now laid up, viz.- overwork, and I therefore venture
to recommend that, in order to avoid "working willing horses
to