PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TTIC.O. 882
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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Enclosure F.
MEMORANDUM submitted to His Excellency the Governor in reference to the Salary of the Senior Clerk in the Despatch Branch.
I BEG respectfully to recommend that, in the estimates now being framed for next year, the salary attached to the senior clerkship of the Despatch branch be inserted at Rs. 3,000, rising by annual increments to Rs. 4,000 per annum, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State and of the Council of Government.
It is always with reluctance that I propose any addition to the charges of the public establishments, and I should not do so in this case were it not for the importance of the object I have in view-the maintenance of the secretariat on an efficient footing.
By a singular arrangement the work of this department had been so apportioned as to leave to the Assistant Colonial Secretary its most important part, that of the Despatch branch, making the Colonial Secretary a inerc spectator of the official correspondence carried on between the Governor and the Secretary of State, and of letters passed between the Governor and the Officer Commanding the Troops, the Admiral of the Station, the bishops, the judges, the consuls representing foreign power, and the Chief Civil Commissioner of the Seychelles.
By another singular arrangement which was in force till lately all the correspondence of the general branch was also chiefly in the hands of the Assistant Colonial Secretary. All letters received were first taken to him, and it was left to him to send those which he considered most important to the Colonial Secretary, reserving the others for his own remarks and for an expression of his own views as to the action to be taken them.
upon It is evident that the positions of the Colonial Secretary and of his Assistant were thus simply interverted.
With your Excellency's approval, I have changed the manner in which the work of the department used to be conducted, so as to be the actual head of the department, while I shall remain entrusted with its management. I have assumed the direct command of both the general branch and the Despatch branch, by simply placing the Assistant Colonial Secretary in the position in which the Colonial Secretary used to he before, in so far as the distribution of the work was concerned.
In the general branch all letters and petitions received are first brought to me, and by me distributed and disposed of as I think proper, such as the Assistant Colonial Secre- tary may deal with being sent to him by me, instead of being retained by himself according to his own judgment as to their importance, and without my having seen thein, as was formerly the practice.
In the Despatch branch I have also, with your Excellency's approval, assumed the direction of the whole work, including the drafting of all letters and Despatches which are not reserved by your Excellency to be dealt with by yourself.
These new arrangements render a re-adjustment of the staff necessary.
On the abolition of the précis writership the general branch may be strengthened, and I think will be sufficiently strengthened, by the addition of a good correspondence clerk to the number of clerks already employed.
For the Despatch branch I think nothing else is required than placing the senior clerk in the position to which I propose to raise him.
I propose that he should have the actual custody of all the correspondence of the Despatch branch; that he should initial, number, register, and index all Despatches which pass through the branch, with the assistance of a junior clerk and of a copyist from the general branch whenever necessary; that he should see to the collection and proper preparation of all returns and other papers which have to be transmitted to the Secretary of State; that he should submit to the Governor every month, at least 10 days before the departure of the outgoing mail, a list of all Despatches remained to be answered, and of all memorials received which have to be forwarded; and that he should make himself thoroughly acquainted with all past correspondence, so as to furnish the Governor, without delay, with all the information he may require regarding any matter that has already been dealt with in correspondence with the Secretary of State.
These arrangements will throw on the senior clerk not only the duties he was entrusted with as "clerk of the papers," but a great portion of the work which the regulations of October 1880 contemplated to leave to the précis writer and to the Assistant Colonial Secretary.
I therefore think it only fair that the remuneration of the senior clerk should be increased proportionally to the increase of his responsibility.
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have strong reason to believe-judging from the conversations I had with Mr. Bruce regarding the inatter before his departure-that the redistribution of work I have just carried out, with your Excellency's sanction, will meet with his entire approval.
I have only to add that Mr. F. Gibson, the officer now holding the appointment of senior clerk in the Despatch branch, is fully acquainted with his duties, quite com- petent to discharge them satisfactorily, and, in all respects, a most trustworthy officer.
(Signed) H. N. D. BEYTS,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
15th September 1884.
Enclosure G.
AMENDMENT of the CEYLON Widows' and Orphans' PENSION Fund Ordinance.
To the HON. T. ELLIOTT,
Auditor General,
For your report.
March 25/86.
Report No. 874 from Hon. Auditor General.
(Signed) J. H. ACKROYD, Acting Assistant Colonial Secretary.
(Here follows Report.)
Despatch from Secretary of State of 18th February 1886.
(Here follows Despatch.)
Annotation on Despatch :
J
J. P. HENNESSY.
This may go to Mr. Elliott, who had charge of the Ordinance, for a report.
(Signed) 23rd March 1886.
TO HIS EXCELLency the GoverRNOR,
Mr. Elliott, the president, wishes nothing more to be done in this matter until we learn whether the Secretary of State approves of the Ordinance No. 34 of 84/85, transmitted in February last.
I have seen Mr. Elliott to-day on the subject.
28/4/86.
(Signed)
C. LLOYD.
I regret that a month should have apparently passed before any steps were taken to A. comply with my Minute of the 23rd of March,
Please let that Minute be acted upon so that Mr. Elliott, who had charge of the B Ordinance, may put on record the report I asked for.
30th April 1886.
The Hon. Ma. Elliott,
(Signed) J. POPE HENNESSY.
PLEASE see the Governor's Minute B; A refers to me. Governor's Minute of 28/3/86 has been fully acted on.
30/4/86.
So far as I can see the
(Signed)
C. LLOYD.
E 2
م
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Report No. 1054-
To the HON. THe Lieutenant-Governor and Colonial SecreTARY,
PLEASE See my report No. 874 of the 2nd April 1886.
1/5/86.
(Signed)
THOS. ELLIOTT,
Auditor General.