CO129-454 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [4-6] — Page 371

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has been required to occupy the quarters attached to the

Victoria Hospital for women, for which he pays rent, and to

look after that Hospital. I do not consider this plan a

satisfactory one as the Principal Civil Medical Officer has

to be absent for several hours a day at the Government Civil

Hospital and elsewhere. If the addition of a Maternity ward to that Hospital is carried into effect it will be desirable

that the Medical Officer in charge should be available at all

times. For the other Medical Officers whose number and duties

would be fixed from time to time I recommend salaries of

£600 rising by annual increments of £25 to £1,000, and that the same salary should be paid to the Bacteriologist.

The Principal Civil Medical Officer should

continue to have the supervision of the Department of Public

Health including the Port.

These proposals would involve the termina- -tion of the present system whereby a private firm of Medical Practitioners performs the duties of Port Health Officer.

As regards the Nursing Staff I consider that the privileges already enjoyed should be supplemented by free board in the same manner as in the Matilda Hospital, and

that the salaries should be as recomended by the Commission-

-ers.

I agree with the salary proposed for the

Veterinary Surgeon with the exception of the increments which should in my opinion be annual of £25.

The Government Analyst should I consider have a salary of £600 rising by annual increments of £25 to £800. This post is now of great importance to the Mercantile Community and the revenue derived by the Government tends to increase. His Assistants should have salaries of £400 rising by biennial increments of £25 to £500. The Commissioners have recommended free quarters for the Analyst no doubt because the present holder of the post has such, but these quarters

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