:
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28
The Summary and Distraint Account Book is at present
kept by one of the Interpreters.
87
Eliminating the above persons there are available for
accounting work the members of the Bailiff's staff, the
"Clerk and Usher" and the Shroff.
The Shroff should be concerned only with the receipt
of money and the keeping of a shroff's cash book. At present he is responsible for posting entries to the relevant
Court files.
The Second Bailiff and Assistant Bailiffs are men who
are essentially engaged on duties outside the office
service of process, levying of distraints, etc.
The Second Bailiff has also to perform the duties of
Official Shorthand writer, which may entail his attendanc
in Court for several days on end.
The Acting Clerk and Usher is in Court all day and
nearly every day
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he is supposed to file all Court records.
but the assistant Bailiffs have to assist him in this work.
There remains only the First Bailiff who se duties
entail the supervision of all matters in relation to the
process of the Court, distraints, executions, etc., corres e pondence regarding fees and many other matters.
It is quite clear that this staff is inadequate for
the keeping of proper accounts and that at present officers
are called on to keep accounts whose duties are such that
they should not be required to do this work. The Government does not appear to have realized that the work of the Supreme Court has increased greatly with the growth of the Colony during the past two decades. Such growth has been met not by a commensurate increase of the staff but by a
reduction in the number of qualified Deputy Registrars.
The Committee is of the opinion that there should be
a separate accounting and record staff consisting of:-