Copy.
Hon. Colonial Secretary,
84
I submit the replies made by the Analyst to the questions asked by the Government Chemist.
Paragraph 1 of the replies seems to me to be rather difficult to reconcile with the fact that in 1919 Kr. Dovey said that one chemist, (Dr. Lubatti) would be capable of dealing with the laboratory work when he (Mr. Dovey) applied for leave. While it is sought to increase the staff the amount of work done seems to be decreasing.
Expenditure Actual
Expenditure.
Actual Revenue.
Samples examined.
provided
for in Estimate.
----
d fi fa so
1918 15936
12489
43995
1886
1919
15161
18890
35258
1792
1920
18417
27538
33415
1502
1921
29431
Not yet know.... 22143
1311
The work according to the number of samples examined is decreasing and the revere corresponds with
this. The expenditure on the laboratory has increased, but
nevertheless Mr. Dovy thinks that a further increase of the
staff is called for. I think that these facts ought to be
submitted to the Government Chemist together with Mr.
Dovey's reply.
With regard to the decrease in the number of
samples examined apart from the fluctuations of trade, a
factor which is probably of a permanent nature, and which must influence the number of samples to be examined, is that Mr. Franklin is doing the same kind of chemical work
in his private laboratory.
(sd.)
J. T. C. Johnson,
Principal Civil Medical Officer.
24th January, 1922,