#1409
Government House,
Hongkong, 8th January, 1903,
39
Sir,
I have the honour to transmit for your information 6 copies of the Report of a Committee which was recently appointed by Sir Henry Blake for the purpose of enquiring into the adequacy of the Staff of the Medical Department.
2.
It will be observed that the Committee has recommended that the Staff be increased by one Health Officer and one Assistant Surgeon. The Government has already recognised the necessity of increasing the Staff, and in the Draft Estimates for 1902 provision has been made for a Principal Civil Medical Officer, 4 Assistant Surgeons, and 2 Health Officers.
3.
In your Despatch No. 259 of 7th August last it was suggested that the Assistant Surgeon to be engaged might be placed on a temporary agreement for three years. The Committee does not make any reference to that point, but their recommendations evidently refer to the Staff which they consider permanently necessary, and in the Estimates for 1902 the salary for the additional Assistant Surgeon is a permanent and not a temporary one.
The other recommendations of the Committee
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,
&C....