CO129-370 - Governor Sir Lugard & Public Offices - 1910 [12] — Page 50

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Hon. Colonial Secretary,

The present practice is as follows:-

A cortificate has to be furnished by the

Head of the Department with regard to the way in which the officer concerned has performed his duties, and a Medical Certificate is given by two Government Medical Officers, usual- -ly the Superintendent and the Assistant Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital, the reason for this being that the Officer is usually undor treatment at the Government Civil Hospital.

A certificate given by two qualified Medical practitioners is all that is required by the Pension Minute however the certificates formerly given by some of the outside Doctors were so indefinite that it was thought better to have a certificate from two Government Medical Officers.

There are more formalities in the Army

the procedure varying in the case of Officers and men, this is chiefly occasioned by the fact that according to Army Regula- -tions an officer cannot be invalided straight away but is placed on half-pay for a varying time before he finally leaves the Service however in all cases in this Colony the Medical sistess Board consists of the Principal Medical Officer and of two officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps nominated by him.

Similarly I think that in the Civil Service

of this Colony a Medical Board consisting of the Principal Civil Medical Officer and two Government Medical Officers, to be nominated by him, should suffice.

2nd. Decombor, 1910.

(sd.) J. M. Atkinson,

P.C.K.O.