598
At that time (1895) I was 31 years of age and was becoming known through my writings and in other ways as a worker in the cause of sanitation, and so had excellent prospects of promotion at home. That I have been able to retain that position in the medical world is I think evidenced by the fact that I was elected a Vice-President of the State Medicine Section of the British Medical Congress held in London this year,
and attended by more than 2,500 medical men from all parts of the world. The President of that section was the Right Honourable Lord
ILKESTON, M.D., F.R.C.P.
I have now completed more than fifteen years service in this Colony and my salary has been stationary for the past nine years. It is true that during this period certain readjustments of compensation, to make better provision against the excessive fluctuations in the sterling value of the dollar and to assist officers in meeting the increased cost of living in the Colony, have been made, but these have applied generally to all officers in the service and I think I therefore justly say that, in relation to other officers, my salary has been stationary for this period.
may
In 1903 His Excellency Sir HERRY BLAKE recommended me for an increase in salary but this was not approved by the Secretary of State and was therefore not given effect to.
Since joining the service in 1895 I have been absent from this Colony on half-pay leave on two occasions only, the total period being twenty-seven months, and the whole of this time was spent by me in study, nineteen months in hospital work and the remainder in the study of law, with special reference to sanitary law and practice, and as a result of these studies I was able to obtain the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene of the University of Cambridge and the Diploma of Member of the Royal College of Physicians of London which is regarded as the highest qualification in medicine obtainable by examination in the United Kingdom.
I have acted as Principal Civil Medical Officer of this Colony for a period of eighteen months, and have had the honour to serve on both the Legislative and the Executive Councils of Government.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your most obedient servant,
Francis Clark
MD. MRCP
+
DPH, 8. TMTH.