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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.885

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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(MR. JUST.)

wives, and families across

The difficulty of forming one uniform Colonial The expense to officers of Service lies in the fact that the West African and transferring themselves, West Indian Colonies present conditions which the world would be in many prevent their being dealt with in the same manner cases quite prohibitive. as the Eastern Colonies.

The Civil Service of the Eastern Colonies is thoroughly sound the men who go into it now are chosen by the same examination as the Indian civilians, and are their inferiors by a few marks. Years ago the competition was less keen, and yet the Eastern service has produced half a dozen men of the calibre of Sir Cecil Smith, Sir W. Maxwell, Sir John Dickson, Sir G. O'Brien, Sir J. and Sir F. Swettenham, all of the same official generation.

The West African Colonies, until the terrors of the climate have been mitigated, cannot well be supplied by the members of a general Colonial service their staff must consist of volunteers, and most of them are bound to be unmarried.

In the West Indian Colonies the amount of patronage which the Secretary of State is in a position to exercise is comparatively small, and a great deal of opposition would be aroused by any proposal to reserve a fixed number of places for members of a uniform Civil Service recruited in England. In practically self-governing Colonies, like Barbados, Bermuda, Jamaica, z.e., where the finances are controlled by elective majorities, it would not be safe to try the experiment without securing a sum for salaries in a Civil List. The same thing is true of Mauritius, and partially in the case of Trinidad.*

H. W. J.

• No longer now.-A. A. P. But British Guiana might

When the proposed committee goes into the matter, I think they will find on examining the be substituted.—J. N. G. appointments in the West Indian Colonies, thint a very small proportion of places could be dealt with for the purpose of introducing persons not natives of the Colonies themselves. For one thing-apart from other considerations-outsiders would cost a great deal more, which, in the present state of the West Julian Colomes, is of material consequence.

But it will be a most useful piece of work to inquire what means can be taken for improving the stamp of men who can be got for the West African service, and for providing, it possible, some automatic method of advancement, as in the Eastern Colonies, which will relieve the private secretaries of a good deal of their anxious work in connection with promotions in the West African and West Indian Colonies.

The best source of supply of candidates for first appointments in the Colonial Service is undoubtedly the examination which supplies India and the Eastern Colonies. If the West African service is to be organized, a certain number of those placed first below the Eastern cadets in the examination could, I believe, be induced to enter the service of the West African Colonies, and after a fixed number of years, they might have the chance of

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transfer to the West Indies as opportunities occurred. In organizing the West African Colonial service, it would be desirable, to get the Foreign Office to agree to adopt the same system for appointments in their Protectorates.

29th November.

H. W. J.

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