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note on the Agenda paper with regard to the matter, and suggested that the discus- sion was not in order. The Chairman agreed to defer the matter to a future meeting of the Council.

8. At the suggestion of the Vice-Chairman, it was agreed that the question of promoting suitable Typists to the Clerical Grade should be referred to the Special Committee of the Council appointed to deal with the reorganization of the Copying Department.

11007

No. 18.

COLONIAL OFFICE DEPARTMENTAL COUNCIL. MINUTES OF THE EIGHTH MEETING, HELD ON FRIDAY, THE 29TH APRIL, 1921, AT 3.0 P.M. Present:

MR. G. E. A. GRINDLE (Chairman), representing the Official side.

MR. A. FIDDIAN,

MR. W. F. WESTBROOK (Vice-Chairman), representing the Association MR. G. VENNING,

of Executive Officers.

MR. A. J. HARDING, representing, in the absence of Mr. Wiseman, the

Association of 1st Division Civil Servants.

MR. F. H. HARPER, representing the Civil Service Union.

MISS E. I. ATKINS, representing the Association of Clerical Officers.

MR. F. KENNEDY,

MR. F. R. STAPLEY, representing the Public Services' Clerical and Techni-

cal Association.

MR. S. IVES, representing, in the absence of Mr. Eglinton, the Government

Minor Grades Association.

H. T. ALLEN,

J. H. EMMENS, Secretaries.

Absent:

MR. C. W. DIXON (Official side.)

1. THE minutes of the Seventh Meeting* of the Council, held on the 31st January, 1921, were confirmed.

2. The Council was informed of the nomination of Mr. W. F. Westbrook as Vice-Chairman of the Council on the resignation of Mr. Scoffham, transferred to the Offices of the Cabinet.

On the motion of Mr. Fiddian, seconded by Mr. Harper, the Council unani- mously passed a resolution "That the Council congratulate Mr. W. H. Scoffham, the late Vice-Chairman, on his appointment as Accountant in the Cabinet Offices, and desire to place on record their appreciation of the unfailing courtesy and ability with which he discharged his duties during his tenure of office."

The Vice-Chairman announced that Mr. Venning had been nominated a repre- sentative of the Executive Officers' Association in place of Mr. Scoffham; but that no nomination to the vacancy on the 2nd Division Clerks' Grade Committee had yet been made. The Vice-Chairman also proposed the nomination in the place of Mr. Scoffham of Mr. Venning and Mr. Emmens to be members of the Staffing and Organization Committee and the Further Education Committee, respectively. The Council assented.

On the motion of Mr. Fiddian, seconded by the Vice-Chairman, Mr. E. J. Harding was appointed an additional member of the Further Education Committee. The Vice-Chairman pointed out that only two official members of the Council were present--no acting appointment having been made for the member on leave, and the vacancy for the fourth member not having been filled. The Chairman stated that in his judgment no appointments were necessary.

3. On the motion of Mr. Fiddian, seconded by Mr. Kennedy, the Council agreed that a Committee should be appointed to consider and advise on proposals in regard to L.F.F. for use in the Office. The Committee to be empowered to take into consideration and report upon all proposals for amending the form of, or

* No. 17.

abolishing existing L.F.F., or for creating new ones. The L.F.F. solely used by the Dominions Department and the Assistant Private Secretaries (Appointments) not

to be included in the scope of the Committee.

The following were nominated to be members of the Committee :-

Mr. Dixon. Mr. Emmens.

Mr. Calder.

Mr. Harper.

Mr. Smith. Mr. Hatcher.

The appointment of a Secretary was left to the decision of the Committee; but the name of Mr. E. N. Horne was suggested.

The Chairman stated that the recommendations of the Committee would not be submitted to the Council for decision, but that its reports would be communicated to the Council.

4.

On the motion of the Vice-Chairman, seconded by Mr. Fiddian, the Council agreed to the appointment of a Grade Committee to deal with matters peculiar to Staff Officers and Staff Clerks in the Colonial Office.

The following were nominated to be members of the Committee:-

5.

Mr. Fiddian,

Mr. A. J. Harding,

Mr. Dixon,

Mr. Westbrook,

Mr. Hobson,

Mr. Howell,

Official Representatives.

Representatives of the Grade.

On the motion of Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mr. Stapley, the Council agreed to the addition to the Refreshment Committee of Mr. E. N. Horne, a member of the Clerical Officers' Association.

The Chairman read a statement which had been received from the Refreshment Committee with regard to the extent to which the facilities afforded in the Colonial Office of obtaining refreshments are availed of by the staff, and the Council were of opinion that the present arrangements are justified.

6. The Council was informed of the nomination of Miss Curtis as an Addi- tional Staff representative on the Temporary Clerks' Grade Committee.

7. Mr. Fiddian reported to the Council that the Special Committee of the Council set up to deal with the scheme for the reorganization of the Copying Depart- ment have been unable to arrive at an agreement, and that the authorities have con- sequently decided that the official scheme should be submitted to the Treasury for approval. Miss Atkins represented that the figures in the scheme relating to the staff were inaccurate, and claimed that in no other department were Shorthand Typists excluded from the Typing staff in deciding the number of Superintendents. She maintained that the Supervising staff, as provided, was inadequate in view of the necessity of making arrangements for leave, and inevitable absences on account of sickness.

With regard to the question of the promotion of suitable Typists to the Clerical Grade, the Chairman stated that two had been selected to undergo a test, that in one case the test had terminated, and that in the other case it was still proceeding. The Vice-Chairman supported Miss Atkins in a request that another Typist should be nominated to undergo the test. The Chairman assured the Council that there was no intention of abandoning the arrangements for testing typists as to their suit- ability for promotion to the Clerical Grade; but said that further trials were dependent on suitable nominations being made and on the requirements of the Copying Department. The authorities could not accept any contention that there must necessarily be two typists on trial at the same time. The Staff side objected to the view that tests should be dependent on the requirements of the Copying Department.

In reply to a question by the Vice-Chairman, the Chairman stated that the post of Supervisor, hitherto filled by promotion from the male staff, would be abolished on a vacancy.

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8. On the motion of Miss Atkins, seconded by Mr. Fiddian, the Council agreed to the appointment of a Grade Committee to deal with matters peculiar to Typists and Shorthand Writers in the Colonial Office. The following were nominated to be members of the Committee :-

Mr. Fiddian, Mr. Allen,

Official Representatives.

Mr. Harper,

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Miss Atkins,

Miss Wodehouse,

Miss Batchelor,

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Representatives of the Grade.

9. The Vice-Chairman desired

(a) To record the objection of the Staff Representatives to the statement of the Treasury Representative that Administrative Staffs were regarded as being out- side Whitleyism"; and (b) to ask again that the Colonial Office scheme for the Administrative Staff be laid before the Council as suggested by the Treasury Repre sentative. He stated that the Staff side, as a whole, desired to support the objection recorded by Mr. Wiseman on behalf of the 1st Division Clerks' Association at the Seventh Meeting of the Council, on the 31st January, 1921. The Chairman said the Official side could not in any way assent to (a), which, however, would of course appear on the minutes; he declined to state whether the official side associated them- selves with the opinion of the Treasury representative. With regard to (b) the Chairman declined to grant the request, on the ground that no scheme existed, and that the Administrative Staff included several officers whose posts were not within the purview of the Council, and pointed out that particulars of appointments in the Administrative Grade could be obtained from the Colonial Office List, Colonial Office Estimates, or any similar publication. The Vice-Chairman read, for the information of the Council, the following statement of the Administrative Scheme, and the Chairman pointed out that the statement could be recorded in the minutes:-

One permanent Under-Secretary of State, £3,000, One Deputy, £1,700,

Two Under-Secretaries of State, £1,200-£100-£1,500,

Ten Assistant Secretaries, £1,000-£50-£1,200, Seventeen Principals, £700-£25-£900,

Eighteen Assistant Principals, £200-£20-£500,

to which the Middle East Department (with an Under-Secretary, Department, Sub- Registry, etc.) has since been added as a temporary measure.

10. The Vice-Chairman moved, and Mr. A. J. Harding seconded, the following resolution :-

"To ask for a statement of the reasons for delaying the operation of the Reorganization Scheme, and to press for its early introduction." The Chairman stated that the reason for the delay was that the sanction of the Treasury to put the scheme in operation had not yet been given. The Vice-Chair- man urged that a resolution by the Council pressing for the immediate introduction of the scheme, irrespective of the date from which the new scale of salaries would commence, should be sent to the Treasury. The Chairman stated that the authori- ties were equally anxious to see the scheme brought into operation, and would be happy to forward and support any representation agreed upon by the Staff side, although, of course, the Official side could not concur. The Vice-Chairman promised to furnish a resolution.

11. The following resolution was moved by the Vice-Chairman and seconded by Mr. A. J. Harding

(a) To ask what is the result of the consideration promised by the Authorities (see minutes of 31st January, paragraph 6) as to the Senior Staff posts; and (b) to draw attention to the note in the Colonial Office Estimates for 1921-22, as laid before Parliament, that the post of Librarian is to be abolished; and (c) to ask that the proposed Committee on the Library be appointed by the Council.

With regard to (a) the Chairman stated that the authorities saw no reason for suggesting to the Treasury any alteration in the emoluments of the post of Librarian: and that they held the same view at the moment with regard to the Accountantship; but that it was conceivable that the attachment of the Middle East Department to the Colonial Office might materially increase the work and responsi- bilities of the Accountant, in which case the authorities would be prepared to recon- sider the question.

With regard to (b) the Chairman explained that the Colonial Office had not been consulted as to the addition of the note, and that an official disclaimer had been sent to the Treasury on the subject.

As to (c), the Chairman declined to accede to the request of the Staff side that the proposed Committee on the Library should be appointed by the Council, which had already partly considered that Department. He stated that although it was a matter with which, under the constitution, the Council was competent to deal, the

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authorities were not precluded from taking action on this, and on similar matters, on their own initiative and without consulting the Council; and the authorities were not bound to give any reason for their action. The Vice-Chairman opposed this attitude on the part of the Official side, and stated that the Staff side considered the Council at a deadlock. He suggested that the Official side should refer to the National Council for a decision. On the refusal of the Chairman to agree to adopt this course, the Vice-Chairman stated that the Staff side would apply to the Staff side of the National Council for advice.

12.

The Vice-Chairman drew attention to certain points of the Reorganiza- tion Scheme, and more particularly the position of certain Staff Clerks now on the scale of £300-£400. He pointed out that the Scheme was not an agreed one; that it did not provide adequately for the Senior Staff Officers and Staff Clerks; and that in the opinion of the Staff it left much to be desired from the point of view of the efficiency of the Office. The Chairman stated that the action taken by the authori- ties was in accordance with the instructions issued by the Government for applica- tion to all Departments.

13. The second and third reports of the Registration and Records Committee were received by the Council, and attention was drawn to the transfer of certain duties from the sub-registries. The Chairman stated that in so far as official action was necessary, the reports would be considered.

14. The Vice-Chairman stated briefly the position of the question with regard

to the promotion of Assistant Clerks and Clerical Officers in the Colonial Office, and it was agreed to await the result of the further discussion now proceeding.

15. The Chairman stated that the resolution, moved by Mr. Kennedy, and seconded by Mr. Ives, that the Colonial Office should be closed on Saturday after- noons, could not be accepted, but he suggested that the question of further reducing the Saturday afternoon attendance of Messengers should be referred to the Grade Committee, and stated, as regards other sections of the staff, that if any practicable suggestions could be made the authorities would consider them sympathetically. The grant of an alternative half holiday during the week for members attending on Saturday afternoon was suggested. The Chairman said that if such an arrangement could be made under the service rules in respect of those grades in which one mem- ber was a full substitute for another, he thought the authorities would be disposed to give the suggestion sympathetic consideration.

16. Mr. Stapley proposed, and Mr. Venning seconded,

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That the system of affixing individual receipt stamps on the weekly sheets be abolished in favour of the practice of a certificate being given by the paying officer.'

Bay

The Chairman stated that, in the opinion of the Accounting Officer, the instruc- tions already received from the Treasury with regard to such payments did not cover the arrangement proposed, and that it would be necessary to await a reply to the communication which had been addressed by the Colonial Office to the Treasury in the matter.

17. The following resolution was proposed by Mr. Venning, and seconded by Mr. A. J. Harding :-

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(a) That a statement of salary in respect of the year 1920-1921, as in the form annexed, be furnished to each salaried officer of the Colonial Office; and (b) that a statement of salary, as in the form annexed. be furnished to each salaried officer of the Colonial Office on the 31st March of each year.

The Chairman stated as regards the statement of income tax that the Accounts Department had not the material available to furnish such a statement, but pointed out that the desired information could always be obtained on individual application to the Paymaster-General. He agreed to consult the Paymaster-General' with regard to furnishing such statements to those officers who desired it; but could not agree to any system under which such statements would be rendered generally irrespective of the wishes of the individual officers.

As regards salaries, the Chairman said that the Accountant would be consulted as to the practicability of furnishing the desired statements to officers affected by the assimilation schemes.

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