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On December 6th, 1947 Mr. W. F. Watson was appointed Assistant Commissioner on transfer from Fiji where he had been, for some
years, the Assistant Commissioner. On December 7th, Mr; P.D.A. Chidell, A. C.A., formerly an Examiner in the War Taxation Department and, since 1st April, 1947, an Assessor Grade I
and acting Assistant Commissioner, was appointed Assistant Commissioner, on promotion. In January, 1948 Mr. C.W. Norris
was appointed Assessor Grade I on transfer from the Income
Tax Department of Northern Rhodesia. He arrived in the Colony and assumed duty on 22nd January, 1948. At the end of the
year 1947/48 he was the only Grade I Assessor in the Department. 9. The following officers were appointed Assessors, Grade II, on 1st April, 1947:-
Mr. F.D. Angus Mr. B.I. Bickford Mr. R.B. Wood
Mr. W.J. Darby
Mr. G. C. Dudley
Mr. J.G. Cater was appointed to this grade on 23rd March, 1948.
10. For the greater part of the year therefore the
Department had one Acting Assistant Commissioner instead of
two substantive holders of that rank. During the whole of
the year there was never more than one Assessor Grade I available
instead of seven and throughout the year there has been a
shortage of three Assessors Grade II. This latter shortage
was reduced to two only in the last week of the year. The
prospects of an early improvement in the senior staff situation
are far from good.
.11. With regard to local staff, it was gratifying to
find that most of the staff of the former War Taxation Department
who were still available applied for transfer to the Inland
Revenue Department on its inauguration. Their previous exper
ience, added to that of Mr. Chidell, was of inestimable value
in the devising and setting up of the new Department.