CO129-318 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [7-10] — Page 333

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Hon. Colonial Secretary,

RECE

Red 28 SEP 05

With reference to paragraph 6 of the Secretary of State's Despatch I would draw attention to the fact that at Mauritius the Officer corresponding to the Principal Civil Medical Officer here is Director of the Medical and Health

Departments, similarly at Trinidad the head of the Medical

Establishment is styled Surgeon-General and Medical Officer of

Health. Disciplinary powers over the Staff of the Sanitary

Department are now vested in a Select Committee consisting of

the President of the Board and the Medical Officer of Health,

see Section 14 Sub-section 2 of the Public Health and Buildings

Ordinance.

Faragraph 7.

I do not know that the decision of the

Sanitary Commissioner would be more valuable than the decision

of the Board. I doubt it. Another Official Member might be ap-

pointed on the Board.

I would draw attention to the fact that

the present Principal Civil Medical Officer also holds a Diploma

in Public Health and it might well be made a condition that any

future holder of this post should also possess such a Diploma.

The arrangement as at present whereby

the Frincipal Givil Medical Officer is also President of the

Sanitary Board enables the two Departments to be better correlat-

ed, conduces to the more efficient working of the two Depart-

ments and economises time.

In paragraph 10 I see that the Secretary of

State requests to be informed by telegram whether on reconsider- ation the Government wishes to modify or alter its opinion.

(Sa.) J. M. Atkinson.

28th. August, 1908.