185 (292)
2849 51
Mr. Humphreys.-(Indicating entries in store book.) I would like to ask Dr. Atkinson, what is the meaning of the words "To disposal."
A.-It means how it is disposed in the Department, how it is given out.
Mr. Shelton Hooper.-It does not say "how"; it says "to."
A. That is what it means. That is the way the goods are issued in the Department. They are disposed to certain persons that is to say, they are handed over, I suppose.
Q.—No, it is another thing. I dont think you follow quite. It is handed over SO much to each Officer, but here is a lump sum of $350,-something" to disposal."
A. It is disposed, (I see from the book)-recommended by the Board of Survey. They are got rid of. If you give me a conundrum, without giving me the rest, I canuot understand the question.
The Chairman.---If you saw that book put in front of you, by the auditor, you would consider that a correct entry, wouldn't you ?
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Mr. Humphreys, What I should like to know, Dr. Atkinson, is, if this book is kept by the Secretary, where is the book that is kept actually in the stores department?
A. That is the book. These are the books (pointing to them). These are kept at the Central Disinfecting Station, shewing how things have been received, and how they have been issued to the several Districts.
Q. And the keeper of these books sends a summary every week to the Secretary, to enable him to keep this book ?
A.—They are checked by the Medical Officer of Health and the Secretary, periodically.
Q. How is it the Secretary, in the evidence he gave before the Commission, said he had no means of checking the books, but he thought that those books were kept, because whenever he asked for any information, he could always get it?
A.—I dont know. I am sure that is the procedure, as I understand it. the Secretary's initials in those books, and the Medical Officer of Health's.
You can see
Mr. Lau Chu Pak.-It comes to this, that the Medical Officer of Health has to see that those books are properly kept, as the Disinfecting Station ?
A. Yes.
Mr. Humphreys.-This is simply an auxiliary book?
ledger, or any journal ?
A.-No, it is to satisfy the Government Auditor.
It does not pass into any
Q.-You would have to sit down, and ad l up all those figures, in order to strike a balance ?
A. I think it is balanced in a certain place.
Q. It is added up, but there is no balance struck. There must be some balance of stores in hand.
A. (Indicating entry). That settles it. There are 500 boots received, on one side, and 500 issued.
No comments yet.
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