CO129-316 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [1-4] — Page 422

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Atkinson to take over these new duties from the 20th. instant,

'by which date Dr. Clark, Medical Officer of Health, will have

gone on leave of absence and Dr. Bell will have returned to

>

the Colony, and I trust that this arrangement will meet with

your approval.

3.

As Senior Assistant Surgeon, Dr. Bell will

become Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital and

its annexes. It will be necessary for him to occupy the

quarters now used by Dr. Atkinson, which adjoin the Hospital,

and the Principal Civil Medical Officer must find quarters for

himself elsewhere. When he was appointed to his present post

in 1897, Dr. Atkinson was provided with free quarters or an

allowance of $1,080 a year. For the remainder of this year,

therefore, I have authorised the payment to him of 90 a

month from the date upon which he gives up his quarters to

Dr. Bell. Lapsing departmental funds will probably be suffici-

ent, or very nearly 50, to cover the extra expenditure.

4.

I have further to recommend that in view

of Dr. Atkinson's increased responsibilities under the new

arrangement he should be granted an increase of salary from

the beginning of next year. In my opinion the most satisfactory

course would be to allow the house allowance and also the

allowances for fuel and light te lapse, and to grant him the

same salary as the Director of Public Works now draws

namely

$7,200 rising after 3 years to 97,800 per annum, ⚫r £1,000

rising to £1,200 by £100 triennially. If you approve I will

cause the necessary provision to be made in the Estimates for

1904.

5.

I have also to submit that the Assistant

Surgeon