+t
PUBLIC
RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TILLC.O. 885
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
114
Department Estimates. After considering the matter carefully I am convinced that it would be not only better policy, but also more economical, to pay higher rates than at present in order to attract better men. It is a sheer waste of money engaging inferior men at low salaries, as we are now doing; and as the salaries which are offered to surveyors in East Africa are less than in either Ceylon or the Malay States, it is scarcely to be expected that we can obtain the services of the best men.
4. I can engage the class of surveyor I require from overseas, but not in England, and I therefore urge most strongly that I may be authorised to appoint these men myself without previously corresponding with you on the subject, and to offer them whatever salaries may be necessary to attract them. I understand that this was done in the case of the Malay States surveys. If you will grant me this general sanction, it is, of course, understood that the total amount to be expended on personal emoluments for the Survey Department will not be in excess of the approved Estimates. Next year the establishment of the Survey Department will be larger than during the present year, and the filling of the appointments will not admit of the delay that has occurred of late.
5. I enclose two memoranda by Mr. Townsend, the Deputy Director of the Cadastral Branch, who has recently returned from leave.
I have, &c.,
E. P. C. GIROUARD,
Governor.
Enclosure 1 in No. 56.
Survey Department, Cadastral Branch, Nairobi,
DIRECTOR OF Surveys,
9th October, 1911. WHEN in England I was requested by the Colonial Office to personally inter- view candidates for various appointments in this Department.
So far as I could gather, the Colonial Office does not advertise the vacancies, but apparently depends on a list of applications. Men who are believed to be suitable are selected and sent to Southampton for a course of some two or three months' training in surveying and survey methods; it appears to me unsound not to advertise, as there is not usually a long list of suitable applicants, and consequently the best men are not selected. Most of the men I interviewed were very raw and inexperienced; further, men are allowed to select the Colony they prefer to go to, and I was informed by Mr. Bottomley that most men prefer to go to the other Colonies, as the pay is better and the prospects of obtaining permanent and pensionable posts much greater than in East Africa.
In fact, when I went to Southampton to interview possible candidates only two out of some 10 to 12 men were willing to go to East Africa.
I was not very much impressed with any of the men I interviewed, nor do I think that a reasonable percentage of the applicants on their lists are worth considering for posts in any Survey Department.
The officials in both Colonial Office and Crown Agents were most anxious to assist in obtaining suitable men, but they knew very little as to the qualifications which such men should possess.
I forwarded a schedule to the Crown Agents setting forth the qualifications which candidates should possess for the several appointments in this Department; it is possible that the Colonial Office and Crown Agents will now adopt a different method and thus secure the services of the right men.
They also do not appear to be in a position to state definitely the salaries and allowances of the various posts, but possibly I am wrong, and they are in a position to do it, but not off hand. So far as I could gather, East Africa was not so attractive to men as the other Colonies for the several reasons given above.
A. E. TOWNSEND,
Deputy Director of Surveys,
115
Enclosure 2 in No. 56.
Survey Department, Cadastral Branch, Nairobi,
DIRECTOR OF SURVEYS,
I HAVE the honour to make the following proposals in regard to the methods
9th October, 1911. which I consider should be adopted by the Colonial Office when obtaining surveyors for the Cadastral Branch of the Survey Department, East Africa Protectorate.
The appointments should be judiciously advertised in the daily papers, and also in some of the professional papers, such as " Engineering."
The qualifications required by the candidates should be expressly stated. The system of training at Southampton should be modified so that more attention is given to computing traverses, closing error and distribution of error, computing areas by co-ordinates, computing bearing and distance from co-ordinates, solution of triangles, and deduction of co-ordinates, keeping field notes and plotting plans from same, the use and adjustment of theodolite.
The abolition of the present system whereby candidates are allowed to choose what particular Colony they desire to go to. The advertisement would do away with the power of choice.
It is also useless entertaining applications from men who have been trained in an architect's and surveyor's office as they have only a rudimentary knowledge of surveying. The class of men most likely to be of use would be the Railway Engineers' Assistants, one who has had experience in laying out curves, station yards, and preparation of Parliamentary plans, or a man who has had experience abroad in actual land survey.
As regards computers, men should be selected who have had a three years' train- ing in one of the universities, and preference should be given to men who have secured mathematical honours.
Draughtsmen should be selected from men who have had experience in plotting from surveyors' field notes, and should be able to plot by rectangular co-ordinates, compute areas by co-ordinate method, solve triangles, and take out traverses and adjust same.
37735
A. E. TOWNSEND,
No. 57.
Deputy Director of Surveys,
(Cadastral Branch).
EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE. COLONIAL OFFICE to TREASURY. [Answered by No. 58.]
SIR,
Downing Street, 22 December, 1911. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, the accompanying copy of a despatch* which has been received from the Governor of the East Africa Protectorate on the subject of the selection of surveyors for service in that Protectorate, together with a draft of the reply which it is proposed, if their Lordships concur, to send to the Governor.
2. Their Lordships will observe that Sir P. Girouard desires permission to offer to surveyors from the self-governing Dominions such terms as may be necessary to attract experienced men, and that it is proposed to allow him to do so on the condition that no increase of expenditure will be incurred on personal emoluments either in the present or in any future year for a staff not exceeding the present number.
I am, &c.,
G. V. FIDDES.
•
(Cadastral Branch).
• No. 56.
26318
H 2
VEYS,
115
Enclosure 2 in No. 56.
Survey Department, Cadastral Branch, Nairobi,
honour to make the following proposals in regard to the methods
9th October, 1911. should be adopted by the Colonial Office when obtaining surveyors Branch of the Survey Department, East Africa Protectorate. ients should be judiciously advertised in the daily papers, and also fessional papers, such as " Engineering."
:ions required by the candidates should be expressly stated. training at Southampton should be modified so that more attention ting traverses, closing error and distribution of error, computing tes, computing bearing and distance from co-ordinates, solution deduction of co-ordinates, keeping field notes and plotting plans
and adjustment of theodolite.
of the present system whereby candidates are allowed to choose ɔlony they desire to go to. The advertisement would do away with
e.
less entertaining applications from men who have been trained nd surveyor's office as they have only a rudimentary knowledge he class of men most likely to be of use would be the Railway nts, one who has had experience in laying out curves, station ation of Parliamentary plans, or a man who has had experience nd survey.
nputers, men should be selected who have had a three years' train-
universities, and preference should be given to men who have cal honours. should be selected from men who have had experience in plotting Id notes, and should be able to plot by rectangular co-ordinates, co-ordinate method, solve triangles, and take out traverses and
A. E. TOWNSEND,
Deputy Director of Surveys,
C
(Cadastral Branch).
No. 57.
EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE. COLONIAL OFFICE to TREASURY.
[Answered by No. 58.]
Downing Street, 22 December, 1911.
by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, to be laid before ioners of the Treasury, the accompanying copy of a despatch* ived from the Governor of the East Africa Protectorate. on the on of surveyors for service in that Protectorate, together with a which it is proposed, if their Lordships concur, to send to the
ships will observe that Sir P. Girouard desires permission to m the self-governing Dominions such terms as may be necessary ed men, and that it is proposed to allow him to do so on the crease of expenditure will be incurred on personal emoluments tor in any future year for a staff not exceeding the present
I am, &c.,
G. V. FIDDES.
• No. 56.
H 2
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
། ༴། ། ། །
Reference :-
C.O. 885
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO