CO129-411 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [5-7] — Page 207

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ENCLOSURE 1.

201

Hon: Col: Secy:

In connection with the estimates for next year, I have the

honour to request that His Excellency the officer ADministering the

Government will consider the question of inoreasing the maximum

salary of the Head of this Department and of the Medical Officer of

Health to $6,000.00 per annum, in view of the very responsible duties which are performed by the Department, and of the additional duties which were imposed upon us by Part II of Ordinance 15 of 1909: "The Public Service transfer of duties ordinance". The Sanitary Department is in a somewhat different position to that of any other Department in that the responsibilities of the Head are necessarily very largely shared by the Medical Officer of Health, who is the professional adviser ca all sanitary matters to the Board, the Government and the Head of the Department. The Public Health Ordin- ance lays down that the Head of the Benitary Department shall give Buch directione as may be necessary for carrying out and giving effect to the decisions of the Board, and shall be responsible for the administration of the Department, but both Board and Department must be guided in their actions by the expert medical advice of the Medical Officer of Health and as not infrequently large questions involving both life and property are concerned, it is only reason- able that that advice should be adequately remunerated. The present emoluments of the Head of the Department are $4,800 rising to $5,400 that is to say, the appointment belongs to Class II, and I hesitate to ask that it be made a first class appointment- $6,000.00 to $7,200- in view of the fact that the responsibility is shared with a professional adviser, but as there is no other appointment in the service in which the responsibility is so shared I think that a compromise can be adopted by making the salary $5,400.00 rising to $6,000.00 .