PUBLIC PECORD
། །
OFFICE
Reference -
C.O.882/12
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOJ TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
*110
and averaging 15 rupees an acre for the whole belt. The leases, which are subject to the preservation of the trees, are usually for periods of 10 years with an option of renewal,
(2) Forest Lands.-The Government forest land extends in all to about 50,000 acres, and the leases are mainly of fishing and shooting rights; they are subject to the consent of the Forest Department. They are normally for periods of seven
years.
(3) Town Lands.-These leases are usually for periods of 10. years, but a considerable number of the older leases in Port Louis are for longer periods extending to 90 years.
(4) Agricultural Land.-These leases are usually for 10-year periods.
We have examined the Survey Branch in detail and are satisfied that its continued existence as a separate unit of administration is no longer justified. The work for which it was originally established, namely, the survey of Government land, is now practically completed and the need for resurveys is a matter of comparatively rare occurrence. An examination of the Survey Register showed only 18 entries of new surveys since the beginning of the year 1930, five of which were of fair-sized plots of land, two of land to be acquired for the purposes of a canal, and the remainder of small plots for leaseholds. The branch now possesses a large number of excellent large-scale maps showing the individual plots of land now let or still available for leases, the latter being few in number. Apart from the surveys themselves the work of the branch is of the simplest routine description, consisting mainly of keeping the register of leases up to date, the drafting of renewals or transfers of leases most of which are very brief and largely stereotyped, the reference of the relative files to the Legal Depart- ment for decision of small legal points which occasionally arise, and subsequently to the Registrar General for registration of the documents, and a small amount of simple correspondence with the lessees. The total number of leases does not exceed 1,000 and the number dealt with in a year is about 110. Sales of land numbered only five during the present year, the total extent of the land sold being less than one acre. We see no reason why ordinary clerical work of this description should be dealt with by a staff of professional land surveyors, and would suggest that the prepara- tion of the documents of lease or sale should be conducted in the Legal Department, which would probably use a printed form in most cases, and the remainder handed over to the clerical staff, whose total volume of work would not thereby be greatly increased. For the actual survey work it would be sufficient to retain the services of a single qualified Surveyor who could be used for such survey work as arises in connexion with the other branches of the department. He should also retain the existing records in his
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personal custody but should not require any clerical assistance beyond what would be available from the general clerical staff. A scale of salary of Rs.4,800-300-6,000 would be appropriate for this post, the existing posts of Government Surveyor and Assistant Governinent Surveyors, together with those of Tracer, Learner, Assistant Tracer and Chain Bearer, being abolished.
Financial Branch,
10. This item as it appears in the Estimates is somewhat mis- leading. There is in fact no Financial Branch of the Public Works Department, and the staff of eight clerks which is shown as composing it consists of a number of non-pensionable officers, paid partly out of the funds of the District Board, and for the time being entirely incorporated in the staff of the Financial Assistant, who is an officer of the Department of the Receiver- General and not subject in any way to the control of the Director of Public Works. As the Financial Assistant, however, plays a very important part in the Public Works administration, it will be necessary to discuss his functions more fully at a later stage.
Mare-aux-Vacoas Waterworks.
11. The Mare-aux-Vacoas Waterworks is only one of a number of local water-supply organizations in the island, but is financed and in the main directly controlled by the Public Works Department. whereas the others are administered by District Boards on each of which the Director of Public Works sits as an ex officio member. These Boards are local nominated bodies whose principal function. besides that of maintenance of water-supplies, is the care of secondary roads. The Boards' revenues are derived from water- rents and water-rates with the addition of a Government contribu- tion from the general taxes. The Mare-aux-Vacoas Waterworks are controlled to a limited extent by a special Board whose chief duties are to consider individual applications for house connexions and to supervise the collections of the charges levied for water- supply. In the case both of Mare-aux-Vacoas and of the District Waterworks any extensions or repairs that may be required are carried out by the staff of the Public Works Department, but while the District expenditure is defrayed by the Boards from a Govern- ment contribution made to them for the purpose, that of Mare-aux- Vacoas is charged directly upon the estimates of the department. The Boards employ a small staff of inspectors and clerks who collaborate with the department in the work of maintenance and in the collection of the water revenues. An exception to this general system of local administration is the waterworks of Port Louis. which are under the control of the Municipality, although certain constructional work in connexion therewith is at present being
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