CO885-(18-19) — Page 525

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.885

19 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

placed on the footing of such establishments, as regards responsibility, we think we may reason- ably expect to be allowed to exercise similar powers of self-protection so far as administration is concerned. This, it is evident, we never could do so long as the uncontrolled right of reward and dismissal was withheld from us.'

"

Accordingly the Crown Agents were allowed to distribute among the members of their staff, according to their own discretion, the totals for salaries sanctioned by the Government,

In 1879 the question was raised as to how far this discretion extended, and Mr. Eben wrate

the following memorandum dated 16th July, $178/79.

1879:

1. In sanctioning the Crown Agents establishment of 1876 the view implied was that the liberty of the Crown Agents did not extend beyond appointment and dis- missal and the assigning to any particular clerk at their discretion any rate of pay between the minimum and maximum pro- vided for him in that scheme.

•

2. The Audit Office require that the accounts should be so rendered as to enable them to judge whether this understanding has been complied with.

3. The Crown Agents object to this as unprecedented, urging that their liberty extends, under an arrangement sanctioned in 1863, to the appropriation amongst their clerks of the amount allowed for salaries at their discretion so long as the maximum amount is not exceeded.

4. I do not understand the arrangement of 1863 to go so far as to allow the appropriation of the amount allowed for salaries amongst a different number of clerks from that authorised.

5. But I am not sure that it may not be construed to almit of the assignment to any particular clerk of a larger salary than that originally assigned to him so long as the total allowed for salaries is nut exceeded."

Accordingly the Crown Agents wrote a letter 14th Jan. reviewing the correspondence as to their

power

1880

to increase or decrease salaries of staff. They 684/80. proposed and Sir M. Hicks Beach agreed- that they should be at liberty to assign to their elerks such amounts as they considered desirable

NO

long as the gross amount authorised on account

of salaries was not exceeded and was not distri buted among a different number of clerks than the authorised number and that no salary exceeds ESCO. But they were not to make any changes

34697 99

Letter of

31st March, 1092505.

1905.

21057/93.

in the general organisation of Department with- out having first obtained the sanction of the Secretary of State.

In 1899 Sir E. Wingfield minuted that in approving an increase in the Crown Agents' authorised expenditure on their staff the Secre tary of State should suggest that they should aim at a more fixed system of increments. In the draft Mr. Round proposed to omit this passage asit savours too much of interfering in what we have never touched, viz, individual rates. of salary," and Sir E. Wingfield struck it out, saying It is unnecessary.”

Position in some ways analogous to Civil Servants,

Although the Crown Agents and their staff are not in the same position as ordinary Colonial civil servants, yet for some matters they have been treated on the same footing, This is especially the case with regard to honours. Not only have the Crown Agents and members of their staff heen admitted to the Order of the St. Michael and St. George, but members of the staff have been given the L.S.O. and the Imperial Service Medal, which, are confined to "Civil Servants Imperial or Colonial.

In 1905, Mr. Keith, who joined the Colonial Office as a Second Class Clerk in 1901 and was appointed the first Secretary to the Crown Agents in July, 1903, was allowed to rejoin the Colonist Office. In writing to the Treasury on the subject, the Colonial Office said Mr. Lyttel ton apprehends that, as Mr. Keith, though in the personal employ of the Crown-Agents, may he considered not to (have) discontinued his connection with the public service

19

and in 1893 the Crown Agents were informed in connection with their proposals for an insurance scheme that their position was that of " civil servants.'

2nd April, 1908.

No. II.

* quasi

A. J. H.

4013/03. Vic,

RESERVE FUND.

In their letter of 14th May, 1863, the Crown Agents wrote, “ We also consider that measures ought to be adopted for the formation of an office reserve fund, from which any sudden falling off of the Office income by reason of the with- drawal at any time of a Colony from the Agency

32166

B

l

10

might be made good, and from which some small pension or gratuity might be paid to deserving clerks who, from length of service or otherwise, might justly have à claim to such consideration."

After consulting the Treasury, the Duke of Newcastle approved the formation of such a Reserve Fund, Its formation and purposes are described in his Circular of 31st December, 1863 (No. 1 of [C. 3075]).

It is invested in securities approved by the Secretary of State in the names of the Permanent Under Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Crown Agents. It forms a part of the accounts of the Crown Agents which are now audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

It the Office income for the year is less than the expenditure, the balance is provided from the income of the Reserve Fund. If the opposite is the case, the surplus of the Office Fund (a reasonable working balance being kept in hand) is transferred to the Reserve Fund.

The Reserve Fund amounted on the 31st of 3707/08. December, 1907, to £431,310 according to

figures supplied by Sir E. Blake. The increase 4107 08. during 1907 was £46,863.

According to the Crown Agents' Annual Accounts for 1907, it consisted on 31st December, 1907, of

Stock Cash

+ 8. d.

0

418,490 0

2 18 10

£ 3. d.

894 9 0

G. I. P.

Railway Annuity,

Class B

Less Sinking Fund

253 8 7

641

0 5

མཡཾ

2nd April, 1908.

A. J. H.

No. III.

INSURANCE SCHEME.

In their letter of 13th July, 1893, the Crown 11909,93. Agents at the request of the Colonial Office sub- mitted proposals to check further growth of the Reserve Fund, which was then about £300,000, They included an assisted Insurance Scheme. Previously, cases of widows and families had been dealt with individually on their merits, and either small pensions or lump sums had been granted with the approval of the Secretary of