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European Nursing Staff.

132. No recommendation is contained in the report with regard to the salaries of the European Nursing Staff. On this being brought to his notice, the Hon. Dr. H. M. Fernando recommended for them a scale of £110-10-160. I would recom- mend acceptance of this proposal.

Midwives.

133. Their present salaries are (1) Rs. 180, (2) Rs. 240, (3) Rs. 300. The salaries proposed by the Commission are (1) Rs. 300, (2) Rs. 360, (S) Rs. 480. The only comment which I would make is that the increase on the salary of the group which is at present in receipt of Rs. 240 is lower than in the case of the others, and in my opinion is too low. I

with propose

sanction to raise it to Rs. 400. Minor Employees.

your

134. The minor employees of the Civil Medical Department are not comparable with the coolies employed by other departments, as they include a considerable number of women and part-time employees and, as the majority of them are: receipt of free diets, at present they are paid from a block vote at rates approved by me. The principal Civil Medical Officer has placed before me definite proposals for the future pay of these officers, which I consider reasonable. I would recommend that the present system be continued and the salaries left to be fixed by the Principal Civil Medical Officer subject to my approval.

Allowances to Medical Officers Performing Special Duties.

135. The schedule given in paragraph 212a of the report contains no recom- mendation with regard to the following officers:-

--

(1) School Inspecting Medical Officers.-I would recommend an allowance of

Rs. 4,200.

(2) Assistant Bacteriologist-The Hon. Dr. H. M. Fernando has recom- mend an allowance of Rs. 1,500. His present allowance is Rs. 600-240-1,800. I would suggest that the present allowance be continued.

(3) Medical Officer, Leper Asylum, Mantivu.-I would recommend an allow- ance of Rs. 1,500-300-2,400.

(4), Medical Officer at Matara.This officer at present receives an allowance of Rs. 900 per annum for attendance on the lunatics temporarily housed in the old jail at Matara. I recommend that he be allowed to continue to do so.

(5) Senior and Junior Anæsthetists.-These officers receive at present Rs. 1,500 plus Rs. 525 (temporary increase) and Rs. 1,200 respectively. I would recommend for the future that they be granted allowances of Rs. 2,250 and Rs. 1,200 respec- tively.

(6) Junior Medical Officers on Parangi, Hookworm and Malarial Duty-The allowance proposed by the Commission is Rs. 1,500. The present allowance is Rs. 900-1,860. I would recommend the retention of the present allowance.

Right to Private Practice.

136. It would, in my opinion, be inadvisable to alter the present regulations with regard to the right to private practice. As regards Provincial Surgeons they are, in many Provinces, the only senior medical men available, and it would merely cause hardship to the public to debar them from private practice. With regard to the General Hospital staff the system of allowing private practice enables Govern- ment to secure for the Hospital the services of a very highly-qualified medical staff at the minimum cost. If the right of private practice were abolished, Government would either have to offer very large increases of salary or accept a greatly inferior type of officer.

Reduction of Staff.

137. It is not proposed to take any action on the recommendations of the Commission in this respect until the report of the Retrenchment Commission has been received.

Head 22a: Ceylon Medical College.

188. I would accept the views of the Salaries Commission except as regards Demonstrators and Laboratory Assistants, who are dealt with in paragraph 118. The revised scales for these officers are shown in the accompanying schedule.❤

• Not printed.

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Head 22b: Institute of Medical Research,

139. I would accept the recommendation of the Commission with the exception of that regarding Sanitary Inspectors, whose salaries should be on the revised scale recommended by me for Sanitary Inspectors under Head 22, Medical Department (paragraph 124 supra).

Head 23: Education.

140. The proposals for this Department have been the subject of considerable criticism, both by the general public and by the heads of the different branches of the Education Department. The memorials received were so numerous that I considered it advisable to request the Director of Education to convene a meeting of his Staff Officers, and after a full inquiry into the cause of discontent to place before me his considered views as to the features of the scheme, if any, which required revision. I have since received his report with regard to the whole of his Department except the Training College and the Technical Schools.

The recon- struction of both these Institutions is at present under consideration, and until a final decision as to their future staff has been arrived at, it would, I feel, be advisable that the present salaries and temporary increase should be continued. A further despatch on the Training College and Technical Schools will be forwarded as soon as I am in a position to place the final scheme before you for sanction.

141. With regard to the other branches of the Department, after a careful consideration of the Director's report I would recommend adoption of the Salaries Commission's proposals, with the following exceptions :-

Assistant Director.

142. The Assistant Director is at present on an equality with the Deputies of the Survey, Irrigation and Civil Medical Departments. For the Deputy Surveyor- General the salary proposed rises to a maximum of £1,300. In view of the large number of sub-departments, of which the Education Department consists, I am of opinion that the responsibility of the Assistant Director of Education is as great, and the duties as onerous, as those of the Deputy Surveyor-General, and would recommend that the salary of the post be £1,050-50-1,300.

Four District Inspectors (English Division).

143. The Commission have proposed a time scale for these Inspectors rising from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 8,000 by annual increments of Rs. 125. It is the considered view of the Director that the introduction of a time scale for these four officers would not make for efficiency. After consideration of the arguments put forward by him I concur with his opinion and would recommend the adoption of the following salaries

1 at Rs. 4,500-250-6,000.

2 at Rs. 6,000-250-7,500.

1 at Rs. 7,500-250-9,000.

Four Assistant Inspectors.

The Com-

144. The present salary of these officers is Rs. 1,800-120-2,040. mission's proposed scale is Rs. 2,400-120-2,800, Director that the maximum and increment proposed are too low-the maximum I agree with the view of the increase being only 37 per cent. I would advise that the following scale be adopted: Ré. 2,400-150-3,300.

Six District Inspectors (Vernacular Division).

145. The maximum for these Inspectors also appears to me to be too low-an increase of 35 per cent, only having been recommended. I would recommend that in place of the Commission's scale of Rs. 3,000-150-4,050, a scale of Rs. 3,000-150- 4,500 (Efficiency Bar before Rs. 3,900) be approved.

Twenty-five Sub-Inspectors.

146. The present salary of these officers is Rs. 720-120-1,200. The scale pro- posed by the Commission is Rs. 1,080-120-1,800. The Director has strongly urged the adoption of a scale of Rs. 1,200-60-1,740-Efficiency Bar Rs. 1,800-120-2,280. I agree with his view, and would recommend the adoption of the scale proposed by him

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