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20.
that a reduction of 20% of the existing subordinate staff,
corresponding to that made in the engineer and overseer
grades, should be recommended;
G
exactly how and where the
reductions should be effected being left to the discretion
of the sub departmental heads. They will make recommendations
regarding the clerical establishment elsewhere in their report.
43. Summarising the recommendations as a whole; Waterworks
will be entirely detached, and its financial policy put up on a
proper basis; there will be a net reduction of 21 senior
officers and 11 overseers, or about 30% and 12% respectively
of the approved establishments; and by the process of
amalgamation the number of sub departments will be reduced
from thirteen to seven.
officered by experts.
These sub departments should be
Today is the day of specialists.
It is
bad policy to have an officer one day in the Surveys Office,
the next in the Drainage Office, and the day after in the
Architectural Office. Promotion and acting appointments should,
with the exception of junior engineers on their first tour of
duty, take place within the sub departments, and not according
to seniority in the Public Works Department as a whole.
Selected officers would have to be earmarked for command; but
their number is so small as not to affect the general rule.
The problems of the FPublic Works Department of Hong Kong are
largely municipal. It would be well if its administration
were in conformity with municipal practice.
(This refers to the report on the Senior Clerical
and Accounting Staff and Junior Clerical Staff which has not yet been considered).