CO885-(26N14) — Page 143

II.

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE

122

+

BEFORE A

COMMITTEE

APPOINTED BY

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD MILNER, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies,

(1) "To consider generally the position of the Medical Service of the various Colonies and Dependencies for which the personnel is now provided by the Secretary of State, with a view to maintaining and increasing the supply of candidates for appointment as Medical Officers, and to secure contentment within the Service. (2) "To consider whether the principle of assimilating the Medical Service in neighbouring Colonies, as already adopted in West Africa, may usefully be extended, and if so, how far and by what means.'

FIRST DAY,

MONDAY, 17TH NOVEMBER, 1919.

PREMENT:

LIEUT.COLONEL

BANT., D.8.0.

SIR WALTER EGERTON, K.C.M.G. (Chairman).

HARRY VERNEY,

SIR

SURGEON REAR-ÅDMIRAL ŠIR HUMPHRY D.

ROLLESTON, K.C.B., M.D., F.R.C.P.

LIBUT.-COLONEL SIR JAMES KINGSTON FOWLER, K.C.V.O., C.M.G., M.D., D.Sc., F.R.C.P., R.A.M.C. (T.).

MR. T. HOOD, C.M.G., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. MR. A. FIDDIAN,

MR. J. E. W. FLOOD (Secretary).

Mr. Joseph Arthur Pickels, M.B., B.S. (London), M.B.C.S. (England), L.R.C.P. (London),

D.P.H. (Liverpool), called in and examined.

Chairman: I think the statement of your qualifica tions is correct?—Yes.

1. What is your present appointment in the Ser vice! I am the Principal Medical Officer on the Gold Coast.

2. Have you seen the Terms of Reference to this Committee? Some points were mentioned in the letter which I received.

3. (1) To consider generally the position of the Medical Service of the various Colonies and Depen- dencies for which the personnel is now provided by the Secretary of State, with a view to maintaining and increasing the supply of candidates for appoint ment na Medical Officers, and to secure contentment within the Service. (2) To consider whether the principle of assimilating the Medical Service in neighbouring Colonies, as already adopted in West Africa, may usefully be extended, and if so, how far and hy what means." We would like to know generally your views on these matters?-One diffi culty, I think, is that if you join up all the Colonies on the West Coast like that, you have the difficulties

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of removing. A man goes out there; the first year be takes out 1L few things; each year he takes

out a few more, and at the end of ten years he has a comfortable home, or things to make a home comfortable. Then he is shifted from Sierra Leone to Northern Nigeria. For example, Dr. Gordon Hall was at Kano. This year when he went out he had to go to Lokoja, He left his things nt Kano, as he could not take them with him, and he had to pay for their transport to meet him. That is all very well, but a man feels these things, because as he geta older he wants his home comfortable. He has to take his clothes and food-and those with one or two books are practically all you can have when you are con- tinually travelling about—it makes it rather difficult. That is only one point,

4. Have there been many cases in West Africa. which have come to your notice, where officers have objected to move from one Colony to another? Well, I have not met many who have changed; I have met one or two. They prefer to remain in their own place, they do not like to change. Of course, have

A

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