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Reference -
C.O.882/12
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
TBS REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
156
XIL PROPOSED REORGANIZATION AND AMALGAMATION OF THE
0.82471/81 [No. 1].
SIB,
MEDICAL SERVICES.
No. 69.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
FEDERATED MALAY STATES.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Confidential.)
(Received 24th November, 1931.)
[Answered by No. 71.]
"Bel Retiro," Penang Hill,
Penang, 29th October, 1931. I HAVE the honour to refer to Lord Passfield's despatch No. 461 of the lat November, 1930,* concerning the reorganization and amalgamation of the Medical Services of Malaya, and to say that the correspondence dealing with this subject has been laid before the Legislative and Federal Councils. On my return from leave I discussed the matter at a conference with all the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council in Singapore and with all the Unofficial Members of Federal Council at Kuala Lumpur I also explained it to Their Highnesses the Rulers of the Federated Malay States at the Sri Menanti Durbar. No objections to my proposals in their present form have been made, and at its last session held on 28th September, and 12th and 14th October, the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements approved the reorganization scheme, which I am about to outline below, and sanctioned the small increase in expen- diture involved in personal emoluments in the Budget for 1932. Increased expenditure in the Colony will be counterbalanced by increased efficiency in service, while an almost equal saving will be shown in the 1932 Estimates for the Federated Malay States. The proposals will be embodied in the Federal Budget, which is due to be passed in next month.
2. My reorganization proposals involve the creation of a new appointment of Director of Medical and Health Services, Straits Settlements, and Adviser on Health and Medicine to the Malay States with effect from the 1st January, 1932. Upon the creation of this post the appointments of Principal Civil Medical Officer, Straits Settle- ments, Principal Medical Officer, Federated Malay States, and Chief Health Officer, Federated Malay States, will lapse.
3. Within the Colony of the Straits Settlements the duties of the new appointment will be those at present performed by the Principal Civil Medical Officer, Straits Settlements. As Adviser on Health and Medicine to the Malay States this officer's duties will be those set forth on page 5 of the Proceedings of the Durbar held at Sri Menanti on the 18th August, 1931, advance copies of which were forwarded under cover of my Federated Malay States Confidential despatch of the 1st September, 1931.† The relevant extract from the Proceedings is enclosed for facility of reference.
4. The salary of this new office should, in my opinion, be $1,350 a month, and should be payable as to one-third by the Straits Settlements and as to two-thirds by the Federated Malay States. Provision has been made accordingly in the draft Estimates both of the Colony and of the Federated Malay States. In my Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Confidential despatch‡ of even date a similar salary has been suggested for the Colonial Engineer, Straits Settlements, whom it is proposed to rename "Director of Public Works, Straits Settlements, and Adviser on Public Works to the Malay States."
It is considered that the salary of the Heads of these two Departments, which is at present $1,200 a month, should be raised in view of the increased duties and responsibilities which the reorganization will impose upon them, and that it should approximate to, but not be as much as, the salary of the higher Staff Officers, viz., $1,400 a month.
5. The cost of visits to the Unfederated Malay States should be defrayed by those States and it is suggested that the most convenient method would be the payment of a fee (to be credited in equal parts to the revenues of the Colony and the Federated Malay States) for each day's inspection by the Adviser.
6. In order that the Director-Adviser may have the necessary opportunities for tours of inspecton, it will be necessary for him to have a Deputy in the Straits Settle- ments to assist him in the duties now attached to the office of Principal Civil Medical
+ No. 6. *No. 57. * C. 72451/30 [No. 5]: not printed.
167
Officer, and I trust that you will approve the creation of a new post of Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services, Straits Settlements. This new appointment would also take effect from the 1st January, 1932, and should, I consider, rank as a super-grade post in the Malayan Medical Service, carrying a salary of $1,100 a month, which would be wholly defrayed by the Straits Settlements. Provision for this appointment is made in the Colony's budget for next year.
7. I recommend that the new appointment of Director of Medical and Health Services be given to Dr. C. J. Wilson, Principal Medical Officer, Federated Malay States. He has now been gazetted to act as Principal Civil Medical Officer, Straits Settlements, in addition to his previous duties, as was proposed in paragraph 2 (e) of my Federated Malay States Confidential despatch of the 1st September, 1931, and assumed duty in Singapore on the 9th September. His Office in Kuala Lumpur will be closed at the end of the year, after the necessary steps for decentralization within the Federated Malay States have been taken.
8. The alteration of the title of Principal Civil Medical Officer involves legisla- tion in the Colony. The necessary Ordinance (No. 16 of 1931) was passed at a meeting of the Legislative Council held on the 28th September, 1931, and a copy was forwarded to you under cover of my despatch, No. 554, dated the 27th October, 1931,† and I have ordered that this Ordinance should come into force on 1st January, 1932.
Enclosure in No. 69.
I have, &c.,
C. CLEMENTI,
Governor.
EXTRACT FROM THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE DURBAR HELD AT SRI MENANTI ON 18TH AUGUST, 1931.
First; he will be responsible for the control of the Malayan Medical Service, and effect transfers of doctors and surgeons throughout the Colony and thé Malay States after due consultation with the Administrations concerned.
Secondly; he will pay periodic visits to each State and inspect the hospitals and other medical institutions. The results of every such inspection will be submitted by him in the form of a report to the State Government. He will have no power to issue orders, but only to give advice.
Thirdly; he will give advice on any matter referred to him by the Senior Medical Officer of any State or by any State Government, and will keep the State Governments informed of any interesting medical and health developments in any other State or Settlement.
Fourthly; he will be responsible for the compilation and issue of instructions on purely professional or technical (as distinct from administrative) matters to all officers of the Malayan Medical Service, so that medical methods may be uniform in all terri-
tories
Fifthly; he will be responsible to me, and through me to all the Governments con- cerned, for the proper administration of joint institutions such as the Central Mental Hospital and the Leper Settlement.
Sixthly; he will be responsible in case of epidemics which affect neighbouring States for the co-ordination of the necessary preventive measures in such States.
0.82471/31 [No. 2],
No. 70.
FEDERATED MALAY STATES.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
THE HIGH COMMISSIONER to THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Received 15th December, 1931.)
(Confidentjal.)
[Answered by No. 71.]
King's House,
SIR,
Kuala Lumpur, 18th November, 1931. WITH reference to my Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Confi- dential despatch of the 29th October, 1931,‡ on the subject of the reorganization and amalgamation of the Medical Services of Malaya, I have the honour to submit for
your
* No. B.
† C. 82001/31 [No. 17]: not printed.
‡ No. 69.
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