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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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20
8 December, 1919.]
COLONIAL MEDICAL SERVICES COMMITTEE.
MR. A. COOKS.
633. You say you are not getting enough candi- datos to fill the appointments, but what about the type of candidate who comes forward; is he generally satisfactory —I should think generally be in, but they have been appointing a far greater number of elderly men than they used to appoint before. They have had to waive the restriction as to ago in many cases. At the last Medical Appointments Committee- meeting that we beld we appointed one medical officer of 48 and another of 46, simply because they were the only applicants for the posts for which they applied.
634. Nir Harry Verney: What posts were they?— One was the Seychelles, and one was the Medical Superintendent of the Hospitals and Government Institutions at Antigua.
who 635. Chairman: They are presumably men have endeavoured to get on in their profession at home, but who have failed P-In both those cases the Committee regarded the man as what is known as rolling stones; they had had practice in America, Canada, South Africa, and so forth.
696. You know that this Committee is appointed to consider whether groups of Colonies could be united to form one Medical Service P-Yes.
637. Do you think that that would be a good thing; do you think it would help you in getting candidates, if there were more ease in transference from one Colony to another, or frequent transfer ?-- I have had very little opportunity of forming an opinion on that point, but quite a number of candi- dates who have come to me to make preliminary enquiry are under the impression that there is a Colonial Medical Service.
638. That it is one united Service ?-One united Service, more or less on the lines of the Indian Service. They do not seem to mind at all when I tell them that it is not so.
639. Sir James Fowler: The appointment at Gibraltar that you were asked about is rather a special appointment, is it not, for which candidates of rather higher class are coming forward ?—Yes, Sir.
640. Surgical P-The appointment of Assistant Colonial Surgeon at the Hospital at Gibraltar.
641. Since you have been in charge can you give me any idea of the number of men who would go to East Africa and would not go to West Africa ?—I should say about 10 per cent., perhaps.
642. Chairman: 10 per cent. would refuse to go to West Africa 7-Yes; that is apart from the officers who are married and insist on taking their wives with them.
643. Sir James Fowler: There is a general impres sion, is there not, that East Africa is much more healthy than West P-Foo.
644. And therefore, if the two were united and that impression remained, whether it is well-founded or not, it would have a tendency to restrict the number of candidates, because they would be com- palled to go to either the one or the other?--Yes, I think so, amongst that very small percentage who are afraid of West Afrion.
645. Are you aware of any case in which the Selec- tion Board have approved a candidate, who has been shown within a short time, say, his first tour, to be unfit on grounds that might have been recognised P→→ No, Bir.
646. I really do not know. I want to know whether in the office there is that information.
The Secretary: As far as regards the West African Medical staff I can say none.
647. Sir James Fowler: It is rather like asking a testimonial for the Medical Appointments Sub-Com- mittee; still, I think it is worth while putting this question: Have
ever you
considered carefully whether, if the method of selection were replaced by a method of examination, as in the other Govern- ment Services, you would get more candidates P-No, Sir; I think such indications as I have had have been rather the reverse. I find the majority of candidates are demobilized from the Services, and I think they
[Continued.
would be very much afraid at the present time of anything like an examination.
648. Oh yes, the existing ones certainly?—Under existing circumstances.
649. After the Appointments Committee has con- sidered the appointment, what is the method of procedure? He is noted on the Secretary of State's list, in he not?—At the present time he is submitted directly he is approved.
650. Would you state the procedure?-Either they call and see me, or they write. Having filled in an application form and produced testimonials to cover first appointments and so forth that they have held, we consult the referees whom they have named, and in the present circumstances have reports upon them, and then we send them to the Committee as soon as their papers are complete.
651. Chairman: They are then finally selected P- On the report of the Committee they are rejected or selected.
652. And then put on the Socretary of State's list for appointment. Now you say they are given an appointment at once?-Yes, at the present time, because there is no class of appointment for which it is necessary to have a waiting list; we can absorb candidates as fast as ever they come.
658. You said that about 10 per cent. of the candi- dates were willing to go to East Africa who would not go to West Africa, you thought?—I think so.
654. Have you in the West African Colonies-Sierra Leone, Gold Coast and Nigeria-any preference for one Colony over another; among the candidates do they ask to be sent to any particular West African Colony ?-Only for very special reasons, that they have served as medical officer to the Gold Coast Regi- ment, on the Gold Coast, or quite fortuitous reasons generally.
655. They do not show any preference for one Colony over another ?-Not in my experience.
656. Sir James Fowler: Do you not think that Nigeria would rather have preference?-I have not noticed it among the medical officers.
657. Bir Harry Verney: In 1907 I held the appoint- ment which you hold. Does tradition say that things are worse than they were then? We always had this difficulty. Is it supposed that things are worse?—
I think so.
658. You amid that it was impossible to fill some appointments ?-You.
659. Have you had vacancies for three months, and have not had anyone of any sort or kind to fill them! Is that the position P-I have had vacancies for longer than that. In the Federated Malay States vacancies have existed since I took up the appointment, and so far we have not been able to obtain one candidate. 660. Chairman: What is the initial salary there? -£350.
661. And they will not go to the Federated Malay States for that?—No.
662. Sir Harry Verney: Have you had vacancies in the West African Service that you have not been able to filll up?—Yes.
663. For months P-Yee; we have been filling up the vacancies at the rate of about two a month since
I have held the appointment.
684. Do you practically never turn down a man unless he drinks or does something impossible, practically speaking, you take say soul who comes along, who is qualified P-We have rejected quite a number as unsuitable.
665. On what ground?-He is interviewed, and found on interview to be unsuitable. Usually I think it is chiefly temperamental grounds, that a man is nervous as a rule.
who
666. Then
decides that P-The Medical Appointments Committee, as a rule.
667. Are these people whom you have seen people who have not gone on to the Advisory Board -Oh!
10.
8 December, 1919.]
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.
Ma. A. COOKE.
to
the
668. Everybody who applies goes on Selection Committee, does he?-Under present cir- cumstances, Jon,
689. And they have rejected ten on the grounds that they are suffering from shell shock or something of that kind P-Yes.
670. Sir James Fowler: I could not say off-band? -Age has something to do with it.
671. Sir Harry Verney: Have you rejected any on socount of age?—I have rejected a number on their first enquiry, I have told them they are too old, men of 60 and over,
672. 48 is the oldest you get?—Yes.
678. Do you still say "from 25 to 35 preferred "P -We still say so, but if they ask any questions we say that allowance will be made for military service and so forth.
674. Have you appointed anyone under 25 since you have been doing it?--I cannot say I have, no.
876. You have not rejected any candidates on the ground of their being too young? No.
676. That would be unthinkable, would it not?— I think it would, at the present time.
677. Is the corollary of what you said just now that in your opinion 90 per cent. of the medical officera who are willing to go to East Africa would also be willing to go to West Africa -I do not think I said that; I said 10 per cent. would not go.
678. If 10 per cent. are not willing to go to West Africa, will 90 per cent. be willing to go? What
'we
are getting at in: Suppose you had the two Services joined together, obliging people to go to West or East Africa, would you by combining them frighten away a lot of people who would not go to West Africa. If it is only 10 per cent., if the Services were amalgamated 90 per cent. would still apply to go to either East or West. Do you see the point? Yes, I see the point.
679. It is very important point for us. If 10 per cent, are unwilling, 90 per cent, are willing?—I think so.
680. You think that, of those you have interviewed who have applied for East Africa, 90 per cent, would be willing to go to West Africa?—I think they would be willing, although their preference would be very strong in favour of East Africa.
691. Chairman : Is the salary the same P-The salary is the same.
682. The initial salary is the same?-Yea
689. Sir Harry Verney: I am speaking of things I do not understand: What about qualification, what is the worst qualification you get now-L.8.A.P-I think so, apart from American and Canadian.
684. Do you take those?—No, I do not take those unless they are on the Colonial List of the Medical Register, that is to say, entitled to registration.
$85. Can you do anything under L.8.A.F In my day L.S.A. was the bottom, there was never anything worse than that. Would you take in a Canadian or American qualification now?-No, unless he was entitled to practice in the United Kingdom.
686. That would mean he would have to have an English qualification?--I do not know.
687. You would not take an American unless he had an English qualification.
688. Chairman: He must be a British subject ?— He must be a British subject.
689. He could be a Canadian not having a British qualification, and enter into the Colonial Service? -Provided he was entitled to practise in the United Kingdom,
Sir Harry Verney: What does that mean?
Sir James Fowler: There is reciprocity with some places, not with others. If they admit our people to practice there, we admit their people to practice here. If they do not, we do not.
690, Sir Harry Verney: In practice does that open
■ field wider than in my day, or are there many medical officers qualified in Canada, able to practice in England, who would not come over here?-Very fow.
[Continued.
691. Could it be extended; could we draw on them to take in these people?—I do not think we could,
Chairman: You could hardly admit people who had not a qualification equivalent to an English qualification.
Sir Harry Verney: I do not know; I understand we do admit people who do not really have an English qualification, if they have a Canadian qualification. Chairman: That is considered equal to an English qualification.
Sir James Fowler: I think Mr. Cooke's answer in quite accurate, that if they have a qualification that entitles them to practise in this country, then we' accept them,
Sir Harry Verney: That would probably be qualification much higher than the sort of thing that a man going to a Colonial medical appointment would have; it would be a better qualification that L.S.A. or L.A.H.
Sir James Fowler: It would be a qualification which is considered here to give evidence of ability to practise.
692. Sir Harry Verney: Have you appointed a Canadian doctor to the Colonial Medical Service since you have been doing it?—I do not think so, I do not remember a case.
699. Chairman: Have you had any applicants from Canada P-Yes, we did have one.
694. And he was rejected?—He was told that until he had obtained a qualification which entitled him to practise in the United Kingdom he could not be received.
695. That his qualification was not sufficient ? Yen. 898. What qualification had he, do you remember ? -I am not sure which it was, it was one of the Canadian Universities Quebec, I think it was.
697. Sir James Fowler: A French-Canadian from Quebec? No, I do not think he & French- Canadian, Bir. We did have a French-Canadian whom we appointed.
608. Sir Harry Verney: With a British qualifica- tion f-No, I think he had no British qualification. 699. Where was he sent to?-To the Seychelles. 700. Do you still get a certain number of black gentlemen ?—Yes.
701. Have you ever thought of giving them any. thing anywhere? They are appointed to the West Indies,
702. British Guiana?-At the present time the Governor does not want any coloured candidates appointed to British Guiana; he says the Service wants strengthening.
703. You would never appoint one to the West African Staff? Not to the West African Staff.
Chairman: There was a man appointed at one time, a special appointment.
704. Sir Harry Verney: Now with regard to salaries, you say the lowest is in the Loeward Islanda, £250 ?-Yes.
до
705. He gets something else, does ho not; there is man actually serving who only gets £250 iz practice, is there? Here is a man with £250 and fees; that is St. Kitt's P-Yes, I think they get fees in most cases.
706. It would not be fair to say that the actual minimum was £250, would it?-All the information we have in some cases is that there is a vacanty in District D of the Leewards, and the information entitles us to tell a candidate that he receives a salary of £300, a drug allowance of £30, and he has a small private practice.
707. To get a man to go there what would you like to offer him, if you were supreme?---Not less than £400.
708. £400 with drug allowance and other allow- Ances? I do not think the drug allowance makes any difference; I do not think he makes anything on that.
709. Just give him £400. Could you interchange your service?—I might be able to. The scope is exceedingly limited.