35
*
1
have not committed myself to making available more than
Broadly
25 vacancies, but if a larger number of applicants are considered
suitable, and Coloni:l Governments are prepared to take them,
there is no reason why this figure should not be exceeded.
speaking I feel that we should welcome this opportunity of
reinforcing our service at a time when there is such a general
shortage of experienced staff.
4. (a) 56 applications are from officers who assume a
their appointments in India after the outbreak of war in 1939 and
whose absorption, if selected, into the Colonial Administrative
Service presents no problem since they will merge with those
selected under the post-war recruitment programme.
(b) 58 applications have been received from officers
who were serving in India before the war and who were born after
1st January 1910 and are therefore eligible for employment on a
permanent basis. I appreciate that there may be more difficulty
in some cases in absorbing officers of this seniority, but they
re the missing generation in the Colonial Service and in addition
will bring a variety of expericnce that should be of considerable
value.
(c) 43 applications are from officers who are too old
to be considered for transfer under the general schome but may be
worth consideration as specialists and are prepared if necessary to
trke posts on a contract basis. Their experience covers the widest
field, including Land Settlement, Labour, the Co-operative Movement,
Municipal Government, Public Relations, and Finance.
5. Exact information as regards the availability of these
officers for Colonial appointments cannot yet be given, but it is
known that some are immediately available, after leave, whereas
others may not be able to be spared from India until next year.
is it yet clear to what extent the numbers quoted above will be
/influenceâ
Nor