10
proposed is $3,600 a year rising by increments of $30 every two years until it reaches $4,800. I am inclined to think that neither the increment nor the maximum salary proposed will be large enough to induce an officer to remain in the post for ten years without holding any other appointment, and I would recommend that the salary of the post be fixed at $3,600 and rise by annual increments until it reaches $6,000.
TREASURY.
(Report, para. 13. Evidence, p 118. Treasurer's letter (confidential) of 4th April, 1894. Local Auditor's letter No. 15 of 28th March, 1894.)
6. I agree with all the suggestions of the Committee as regards the staff of the Treasury Department and with the opinion that the Treasurer should devote all his time to the work of the Treasury. The present annual salaries of the Treasury Department amount to $24,888. When the proposals of the Committee are all carried out they will amount to $19,252 as a minimum and $22,192 as a maximum, the maximum saving being $5,636, and the minimum $2,696.
7. The suggestions contained in paragraph 18 regarding the issue of certain licences, and in paragraph 19 as to the collection of arrears of Crown Rent and the introduction of an Ordinance amending the Crown Remedies Ordinance will be carried out, though it may be necessary to continue the present monthly collections of licence fees so far as certain of the licences referred to are concerned.
8. With regard to the present system of auditing the accounts in England I have already pointed out to Your Lordship the inconveniences of that system, and the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council have on more than one occasion refused to vote the sum referred to for the Local Auditor and his staff. I do not know whether Your Lordship will be prepared to reconsider your former decision in this matter, but as the Unofficial Members are always urging the advisability of having the accounts audited locally instead of in England, and as I am of the same opinion—an opinion also shared by the Members of the Retrenchment Committee—I trust I may be excused for again bringing this matter to Your Lordship's notice.
POST OFFICE.
(Report, para. 27. Evidence, pp. 105, 118. Acting Postmaster General's letter No. 25 of 4th May, 1894.)
9. The Retrenchment Committee does not recommend any decrease at present in the general staff of the Post Office, in view of the representations of the Acting Postmaster General, Mr. NORTHCOTE, contained in his letter to the Committee, but is of opinion that, considering the nature of their duties and the qualifications required of them, many of its members are too highly paid. In this opinion I concur, and I agree with the scale of salaries suggested in paragraph 31 of the Report.
10. With regard to the post of Assistant Postmaster General the Committee recommends its abolition as soon as possible, as it considers the duties of that post could be performed by a head clerk. In view of the numerous complaints regarding the Post Office which have been recently made and of the opinion of the present Acting Postmaster General, Mr. SERCOMBE SMITH, I am unable to agree with the recommendation of the Retrenchment Committee and consider a competent European Assistant Postmaster General is necessary to maintain the efficiency of the Post Office. Such an assistant could combine, with his own, the duties now performed by the Senior Clerk, which post it may be possible to abolish. The salary of the Assistant Postmaster General is $2,400 a year: that of Senior Clerk, $1,728, so my proposal, if it be carried out, would effect an annual saving of $1,728, or $1,200 less than the minimum and $600 less than the maximum saving recommended by the Committee, which amount respectively to $3,512 maximum and $2,804 minimum was corrected to $9,512 maximum and $4,804 minimum.
that
This question is being dealt with separately.
11. The question of the local delivery branch of the Post Office, referred to in paragraph 33 of the Report, is at present under consideration and will be finally settled on the return from leave in October next of Mr. TRAVERS, the Postmaster General. In the meantime I may state that Mr. NORTHCOTE's estimate appears, as the Committee points out, extravagant and that any scheme which may be hereafter submitted for approval will be framed with a view to obtaining efficiency at the least possible expenditure.
12. The suggestion of the Committee contained in paragraph 30 of the Report, that the staff of the Post Office should not be kept up permanently so as to cope with the unusual demands at times of pressure on the staff, but that the experiment should be made of having recourse to the military for temporary assistance in sorting or despatching mails, will be referred to the Postmaster General for consideration and report, and when I am in possession of his views I will again address Your Lordship on this point.
13. The complaints of Mr. NORTHCOTE (paragraph 32) as regards the accommodation of the present office are well founded. The building is quite insufficient and unsuitable for its present purposes and I have reason to believe that to this is due the repeated cases of sickness among the members of the staff. The Supreme Court and Registrar General's Office are also very old buildings, with very indifferent accommodation, and would be a disgrace to a fourth-class Colony. Numerous complaints have been made for years past both by the public and the officials who have to frequent and occupy them. I propose to appoint a Committee consisting of officials and unofficials to consider the question of Government Buildings, and I am hopeful that it will be able to make some definite recommendations, by the carrying out of which the present unsatisfactory state of affairs may be remedied and further economy may be effected by the concentration of Offices under one roof.
REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE.
(Report, para. 34. Evidence, pp. 51, 182, 185, 188. Registrar General's letter of 31st March, 1894. Colonial Secretary's letter No. 449 of 30th March, 1894.)
14. The Registrar General (Mr. STEWART LOCKHART) in his letter to the Committee recommends a retrenchment to the amount of $3,698 in his department, and the report of the Committee with but slight modifications embodies those recommendations, by carrying out which there will be a maximum saving of $4,458 and a minimum saving of $3,858. I concur in these recommendations.
15. With regard to the post of Assistant Registrar General, it might have been possible to have abolished it had no changes in the general staff of the Registrar General's Office been recommended, but in view of the proposed reduction in the salaries of the offices of first and second clerks, a reduction which must necessarily affect the style of officer who will in future hold these offices, I am of opinion that it would not be advisable to dispense with the services of an Assistant Registrar General. I am, however, not certain that, by retaining the office of Assistant Registrar General, it may not be possible to do away altogether with the post of second clerk. On this point I have consulted the Registrar General and he is inclined to agree in my opinion. The matter will be duly considered when a vacancy occurs.
16. I now come to the consideration of the question of the amalgamation of the offices of Colonial Secretary and Registrar General.
17. The Committee is unanimously of opinion that if the Registrar General is relieved as much as possible of all formal and routine work it is possible for one officer to discharge the duties of Colonial Secretary and Registrar General, but the Committee is divided in opinion as to whether it is advisable or politic that such a step be taken.
*See Registrar General's evidence (page 65 of evidence).
10
proposed is $3,600 a year rising by increments of $30 every two years until it reaches $4,800. I am inclined to think that neither the increment nor the maximum salary proposed will be large enough to induce an officer to remain in the post for ten years without holding any other appointment, and I would recommend that the salary of the post be fixed at $3,600 and rise by annual increments until it reaches $6,000.
TREASURY.
(Report, para. 13. Evidence, p 118. Treasurer's letter (confidential) of 4th April, 1894. Local Auditor's letter No. 15 of 28th March, 1894.)
6. I agree with all the suggestions of the Committee as regards the staff of the Treasury Department and with the opinion that the Treasurer should devote all his time to the work of the Treasury. The present annual salaries of the Treasury Departinent amount to $24,888. When the proposals of the Committee are all carried out they will amount to $19,252 as a minimum anjį $22,192 as a maximum, the maximum saving being $5,636, and the minimum 696.
7. The suggestions contained in paragraph 18 regarding the issue of certain licences, and in paragraph 19 as to the collection of arrears of Crown Rent and the introduction of an Ordinance amending the Crown, Remedies Ordinance will be carried out, though it may be necessary to continue the present monthly collections of licence fees so far as certain of the licences referred to are concerned.
8. With regard to the present system of auditing the accounts in England I have already pointed out to Your Lordship the inconveniences of that system, and the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council have on more than one occasion refused to vote the sum referred to for the Local Auditor and his staff. I do not know whether Your Lordship will be prepared to reconsider your former decision in this matter, but as the Unofficial Members are always urging the advisability of having the accounts audited locally instead of in England, and as I am of the same opinion-an opinion also shared by the Members of the Retrenchment Com- mittee,-I trust I may be excused for again bringing this matter to Your Lord- ship's notice.
POST OFFICE.
(lieport, para. 27. Evidence, pp. 105, 118. Acting Postmaster General's letter No. 25 of 4th May, 1894.)
9. The Retrenchment Committee does not recommend any decrease at present in the general staff of the Post Office, in view of the representations of the Acting Postmaster General, Mr. NORTHCOTE, contained in his letter to the Committee, but is of opinion that, considering the nature of their duties and the qualifications required of them, many of its members are too highly paid. In this opinion. I concur, and I agree with the scale of salaries suggested in paragraph 31 of the Report.
10. With regard to the post of Assistant Postmaster General the Committee re- commends its abolition as soon as possible, as it considers the duties of that post could be performed by a head clerk. In view of the numerous complaints regard- ing the Post Office which have been recently made and of the opinion of the present Acting Postmaster General, Mr. SERCOMBE SMITH, I am unable to agree with the recommendation of the Retrenchment Committee and consider a competent European Assistant Postmaster General is necessary to maintain the efficiency of the Post Office. Such an assistant could combine, with his own, the duties now performed by the Senior Clerk, which post it may be possible to abolish. The salary of the Assistant Postmaster General is $2,400 a year: that of Senior Clerk, $1,728, so my proposal, if it be carried out, would effect an annual saving of $1,728, or $1,200 less than the minimum and $600 less than the maximum saving re- commended by the Committee, which amount respectively to $9,512 maximum and $4,804 minimum.
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11. The question of the loend delivery branch of the Post Office, referred to in paragraph 33 of the Report, is at present under consideration and will be finally settled on the return from leave in October next of Mr. TRAVERS, the Postmaster General. In the meantime I may state that Mr. NowTnCore's estimate appears, as the Committee points out, extravagant and that any scheme which may be here- after submitted for approval will be framed with a view to obtaining efficiency at the least possible expenditure.
12. The suggestion of the Committee contained in paragraph 30 of the Report, that the staff of the Post Office should not be kept up permanently so as to cope with the unusual demands at times of pressure on the staff, but that the experiment should be made of having recourse to the military for temporary assistance in sorting or despatching mails, will be referred to the Pastmaster General for consideration and report, and when I am in possession of his views I will again address Your Lordship on this point.
13. The complaints of Mr. Norrncore (paragraph 32) as regards the accommo- dation of the present office are well founded. The building is quite insufficient and unsuitable for its present purposes and I have reason to believe that to this is due the repeated cases of sickness among the members of the staff. The Supreme Court and Registrar General's Office are also very old buildings, with very indifferent accommodation, and would be a disgrace to a fourth class Colony. Numerous complaints have been made for years past both by the public and the officials who have to frequent and occupy them. I propose to appoint a Committee consisting of officials and unofficials to consider the question of Government Buildings, and I am hopeful that it will be able to make some definite recommendations. by the carrying out of which the present unsatisfactory state of affairs may be remedied and further economy may be effected by the concentration of Offices under one roof, *
REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE.
( Report, para, &d. Evidence, pp. 51, 182, 185, 188. Registrar General's letter of 51st March, 1894. Colonial Secretury's letter No. 449 of 30th March, 1894.)
14. The Registrar General (Mr. STEWART LOCKHART) in his letter to the Com- mittee recommends a retrenchment to the amount of $3,698 in his department, and the report of the Committee with but slight moxlifications embodies those recoin- mendations, by carrying out which there will be a maximum saving of $4.458 and a minimum saving of $3,858. I coneur in these recommendations.
15. With regard to the post of Assistant Registrar General, it might have been possible to have abolished it had no changes in the general staff of the Registrar General's Office been recommended, but in view of the proposed reduction in the salaries of the offices of first and second clerks, a reduction which must necessarily affect the style of officer who will in future hold these offices, I am of opinion that it would not be advisable to dispense with the services of an Assistant Registrar General. I am, however, not certain that, by retaining the office of Assistant Re- gistrar General, it may not be possible to do away altogether with the post of second clerk. On this point I have consulted the Registrar General and he is in- clined to agree in my opinion. The matter will be duly considered when a vacancy
occurs,
16. I now come to the consideration of the question of the amalgamation of the offices of Colonial Secretary and Registrar General.
17. The Committee is unanimously of opinion that if the Registrar General is re- lieved as much as possible of all formal and routine work it is possible for one oth-
eer to discharge the duties of Colonial Secretary and Registrar General, but the Committee is divided in opinion as to whether it is advisable or politic that such a
*See Registrar General's evidence (page 65 of evidence).
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