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Atkinson to take over these new duties from the 20th. instant,
'by which date Dr. Clark, Medical Officer of Health, will have
gone on leave of absence and Dr. Bell will have returned to
>
the Colony, and I trust that this arrangement will meet with
your approval.
3.
As Senior Assistant Surgeon, Dr. Bell will
become Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital and
its annexes. It will be necessary for him to occupy the
quarters now used by Dr. Atkinson, which adjoin the Hospital,
and the Principal Civil Medical Officer must find quarters for
himself elsewhere. When he was appointed to his present post
in 1897, Dr. Atkinson was provided with free quarters or an
allowance of $1,080 a year. For the remainder of this year,
therefore, I have authorised the payment to him of 90 a
month from the date upon which he gives up his quarters to
Dr. Bell. Lapsing departmental funds will probably be suffici-
ent, or very nearly 50, to cover the extra expenditure.
4.
I have further to recommend that in view
of Dr. Atkinson's increased responsibilities under the new
arrangement he should be granted an increase of salary from
the beginning of next year. In my opinion the most satisfactory
course would be to allow the house allowance and also the
allowances for fuel and light te lapse, and to grant him the
same salary as the Director of Public Works now draws
namely
$7,200 rising after 3 years to 97,800 per annum, ⚫r £1,000
rising to £1,200 by £100 triennially. If you approve I will
cause the necessary provision to be made in the Estimates for
1904.
5.
I have also to submit that the Assistant
Surgeon