CO885-5 — Page 188

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.

Reference :-

885

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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are regulated by the Civil Service Commissioners In addition to the usual public holidays, which are counted as working days, they are allowed one day's holiday without abatement of pay for every 24 days of work. They are also allowed sick leave on three-fourths pay, but sick leave and ordinary leave together must not exceed 28 days. Lower Division clerks in the Colonial Office are allowed three weeks or eighteen working days holiday in the year during the first three years of service, after that they are allowed one month in the year. They are also allowed a half holiday every other week, and they have recently asked for a half holiday every week. The established holiday for the rest of the office is two months in the year, but the full amount is not always taken. There are no further rules as to sick leave.

17. It has already been stated that Lower Division Hours of clerks in the public service, are paid at different attendance. rates according us they are employed for six hours or seven hours per diem, and that at their own request the Lower Division clerks employed in the Colonial Office havo been converted from six- hour clerks into seven-hour clerks.

The customary hours of attendance of the remain- ing members of the office are six per diem exclusive of official work performed at home, but longer if required. Attendance is given in the Registry and Printing Departments from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and in the other departments from 11 a.m, to 6.0 p.m.. and later when necessary. Furnished rooms and attendance and an allowance of 251. a year are avail- able for two resident clerks to attend to telegraphic business when the office is closed. No attendance book is kept. The head clerks of the various de- partments and sub-divisions are responsible for the due attendance of the remaining clerks.

motion.

18. Under Secretaryships and Assistant Under Reserved Secretaryships have been filled from without the appointments office, but these appointments are not reserved for and pro persons not serving in the Office; it being how- ever understood that they shall include two per- sons possessing the necessary legal qualifications. Promotion from class to class of Class I. clerks has been made according to seniority, subject to fit- ness. The Superintendent of the Copying Division was pronoted to his present post direct from the now expired class of permanent copyists. The first officers of the remaining four subdivisions of the General Department and the Bookkeeper were pro- moted from the now expiring class of assistant clerks, and three out of the four first entered the office as permanent copyists. Two permanent copyists have been promoted to Lower Division clerkships in accordance with the 12th clause of the Order in Council of 12th February 1876, by which the class of Lower Division clerks was created. No other Lower Division clerk in the Colonial Office has yet completed 10 years service, or therefore become eligible for promotion, under the provisions of the 18th clause of the same Order in Council, nor for several years has any opportunity for promotion occurred in the office. Messengers have been promoted from class to class according to seniority.

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19. Papers, of which only one or two copies are required, are copied by hand. This constitutes the bulk of Colonial Office copying. A multiplying Copying, apparatus is used for producing copies of short printing, papers of which many copies are required at short shorthand, notice e.g., communications to the press. Longer stationery. papers and papers of which a very large number of copies is required (e.g., circular despatches and their enclosures) are usually printed.

Printing is executed through the agency of the Stationery Office by printers under contract with that office. No printing takes place except in accordance with standing orders, or with special directions from the Secretary of State or an Ünder Secretary. Demands on the Stationery Office for printing are usually signed by the Chief Clerk, but in certain special cases are signed by an Under Secretary.

Short-hand is made use of very rarely, and only upon the occasion of deputations to the Secretary of State, when the services of a short-hand writer are specially engaged, and are paid for in accordance with regulation. There would be no advantage in its further employment.

Stationery is supplied by the Stationery Office, and is provided for in the Estimates of that office. but it has been ascertained that the cost in 1885-6 was 7111.

20. The Playfair scheme has been applied to this office in so far as the employment of "Lower Division" clerks only and with satisfactory results

so far as can at present be judged.

December 11, 1886.

秀

R. E.

A

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