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forward all important orders to be recorded and circulated by the Secretary in a general order book.
The general rules of the Railway Administration in regard to leave of absence, medical assistance, free passes, &c., will be determined by the Managing Director and General Manager in consultation, and subject to modification in case of need. Whenever employés of the railway have any complaint or other official communication to make, they shall submit the same in writing to the Head of the Department concerned, by whom it shall be forwarded, with all necessary information, to the General Manager, for reference to the Managing Director, and (in case of need) to the Board of Commissioners.
No Head of Department shall incur any expenditure on railway account, except such as is warranted by standing authority. It will be the duty of the General Manager to see that all details of work sanctioned in the annual estimates are carried out by the various Executive Departments in a proper and efficient manner, and that the estimates are not exceeded, under their general headings, without the authority of the Managing Director.
Heads of Departments are authorized to appoint, promote, dismiss, and reduce subordinates of the staff of the respective offices whose salaries do not exceed 50 dollars per mensem, subject always to the financial exigencies of the estimates, and the standing rules of the railway, as from time to time authorized. All appointments, promotions, dismissals, and reductions of employés drawing over 25 dollars per mensem must be recorded in the Department's monthly Report. In the case of important stations, the appointment, promotion, reduction, or transfer of station masters is to be made after consultation with the Managing Director, and in accordance with the latter portion of Article 9 of the Board's Resolutions of the 13th April, 1908.
Heads of Departments are authorized to grant short leave of absence to all subordinate employés in their respective Departments, subject to the Leave Regulations of the railway, recording in the monthly Report all leave granted to employés drawing over 25 dollars per mensem.
Heads of Departments are authorized to issue cheque passes, in accordance with the Free Pass Regulations actually in force.
Heads of Departments may draw stores required for the use of their offices, &c., up to limits sanctioned in the working estimates, but no stores may be ordered or purchased by any Department unless specially authorized.
The special duties of Heads of Departments as at present approved, and subject to modification hereafter by the Managing Director and [or] Board of Commissioners, are as follows:--
1. Duties of Secretary and Assistant General Manager. He shall conduct the general correspondence of the railway head office, keep minutes and records of the official meetings of the Railway Administration, transmit the Chief Accountant's monthly Report and other statements to the Managing Director and Board of Commissioners and General Manager.
He shall keep in constant communication with the General Manager, and shall assist him in promoting the mutual dependence, inter-communication, and harmonious working of the various Departments of the railway. He shall act for the General Manager in his absence.
Duties of Engineer in charge of Maintenance.-In matters of general administration and policy, the engineer in charge of maintenance will receive the instructions of the Managing Director through the General Manager. He shall report through the General Manager, in writing, whenever necessary, on all matters affecting the proper maintenance of the railway, and shall be responsible for the same, and for the discipline and effective organization of the work of his Department. He shall certify annually in the railway's published statement of accounts as to the upkeep and condition of the line.
Duties of Chief Accountant.--The Chief Accountant's duties involving dual responsibility to the Chinese Government and to the holders of the railway bonds and profit certificates, it shall be open to him, while showing all due deference to the wishes of the Managing Director, and giving effect to the latter's financial policy as laid down in the annual estimates, to report officially to the Managing Director and to the Board of Commissioners in all cases where he considers that the action taken or policy contemplated may prejudice the rights and interests of the holders of bonds and profit certificates.
He shall countersign all cheques for expenditure on railway account, as well as all indents for materials of foreign origin, whether purchased locally or from abroad, and shall be responsible for the monthly statement of such indents, to be circulated by the Secretary to the Board of Commissioners.
He shall prepare for audit and publication the annual Report of the railway's receipts and expenditure, and be responsible for the accuracy of the same.
The duties of Medical Officer, Traffic Superintendent, and Chief Storekeeper will be decided upon in due course by the Managing Director, in consultation with the General Manager, and submitted for the information of the Board of Commissioners.
(Original signed by Chung Mun Yew and J. O. P. Bland.)
April 15, 1908.
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