མ ཙ L བ ལྟ པཱ ད ཀ 1:|: ཚེ ཀིཾ
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there alluded to remain in the Office, and the work has enormous-
ly increased.
6.
That the condition of the clerical staff
is such that it warrants my viewing the future with the gravest
apprehension 1 will endeavour to show.
The only man 1 have to rely on (outside
the Shipping Office, with which I am not now dealing), is Mr.
Botelho, the present 3rd. Clerk. He is an admirable assistant in
every way, and during the four months vacation leave granted to
Mr. Alves, is carrying out the duties of 1st. Clerk in addition
to his own, (principally at his home, out of Office Hours). Last
year Mr. Botelho's energies were put to a severe test, partly
due to the training of the 4th. and 5th. Clerks, men new to their
duties. He broke down in consequence, and, now only partially
restored to health, will have to train two more new-comers, and
practically have to deal with the whole of the clerical work of
the Department for a considerable time to come. The prospect is
not reassuring, for, should this Officer again break down, I do
not see how it would be possible for the work of the Office to be
performed. The result would be disastrous both to the Colony and
the Shipping Community.
7.
While the retirement of Mr. Alves, as 1
remarked at the time, was a severe loss, that of the younger men
is also greatly to be deplored. This will be understood when I
explain that, due to the nature of the training necessary for a
Harbour Department to be properly run, it takes a man some years
of experience before he can acquire a useful grasp of its neces-
sities. The older hands, to whom I have referred, joined under
different circumstances with regard to pay and prospects than do
now exist, and which, though never realized, have deterred them
from resigning in these later years, by reason of the pensions
they are now in sight of. The younger generation are in different
position