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Enclosure 4
Report on the Engineering Staff of the Public
Works Department.
111
In accordance with the minute of the lionourable the Colonial Secretary, I have made investigations into the work in hand for the current financial year with a view to ascertaining whether it is possible to make reductions in the Engineering Staff and to reporting on other matters referred to me.
In addition to interviewing the Director of Public Works and members of the Staff I have carefully studied the report of the Commission which enquired into the question of the sufficien -cy of the Staff in 1902, the report of the Director of Public Works for 1907 and the approved Estimates for 1909.
From the latter it appears that the estimated cost
of public works for the year is 1,475,600: while the estimated cost of the Staff (personal emoluments and other charges) amounts to 8313,910. The cost of personnel is over 21% of the cost of works
as compared with 15.5% in 1908 and 10% in 1907.
The increase in the cost of Staff for 1909 is part- -ly accounted for by lower exchange and stipulated increase in rates of pay, the chief increments however are in the Building Authority's Staff about $34,000: and Crown Lands and Survey Staff about $10,000: Deducting the two latter items the percentage works out at 18%. Whether this is high as compared with other Colonies I am unable to say, but the question seems to be worthy of considera-
-tion.
Speaking generally, the cost of supervision, office expenses &c., in Engineering works should be proportionate to the cost of work performed. It must however be remembered that the Public Works Department in this Colony is called on to perform many duties which might be called purely municipal; the work done under the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance and a large proportion of that comected with water supply and sewerage certainly come
under this head.
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