Sessional_Paper_1949 — Page 100

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Recommendations for revised functions.

204. It is recommended that the duties of the Chief Clerk be as follows:

(1) Recruitment, examination, posting and transfer of Women Confidential

Assistants and clerical staff.

(2) To supervise the work and approve leave of Women Confidential Assis- tants, clerical staff, office attendants, messengers and cleaners employed by the Secretariat.

(3) To countersign the confidential Annual Reports of the staff mentioned

in (2).

(4) To act as Secretary to the Executive and Clerical Staff Committees.

(5) To be responsible for the efficient working of the clerical officers and

registries of the Secretariat.

(6) To assist the Finance Clerk in the preparation of Budget Estimates for the Secretariat expenditure on personnel emoluments, special and other expenditure, and to apply for supplementary provisions as required.

(7) To allocate clerical and other staff for appointment to Survey Boards.

(8) To supervise the acquisition and allocation of furniture, office equipment

and stationery for the use of the Secretariat.

(9) To arrange for the installation and transfer of telephones for Govern-

ment use.

Results of amended functions.

205. It will be seen that the responsibilities of the proposed functions of this officer are narrower than those intended for the post of Chief Clerk and the Establish- ment Branch may wish to note this fact.

Appointment of temporary staff.

206. It was recommended in Chapter VIII Item 174 that authority should be given to this officer to approve the temporary appointment of Women Confidential Assistants, clerks, etc., when the filling of such posts have first been authorized by the respective Secretariat Branches and that such approvals should not be signed by the Establishment Branch.

Supervisory functions and work reports.

207. There should be positive supervision and control of the Secretariat clerical and other staff. In the proposed re-organization of the Secretariat, provision has been made for the direct control of the clerical staff within each Branch, and the Chief Clerk should be responsible for their overall supervision. He should make frequent periodical inspections of the work of each Branch, require each Branch supervisor to submit to him a quarterly report on the working of his Branch which report should include, staff matters, volume of work, speed of output, volume of arrears and other matters relevant to the efficiency of each office.

208. On receipt of each report the Chief Clerk should make immediate arrange- ments to rectify the faults reported and note on the report the action taken or to be taken.

209. At six monthly intervals the Chief Clerk should prepare an inspection report on the staff and their work for which he is responsible. This report should be seen by the Deputy Colonial Secretary who will give written instructions to the Chief Clerk on action to be taken. A file containing their past reports should be kept by each Branch so that the Chief Clerk can observe if action ordered has been taken, and to avoid the necessity for him to keep copies of the report. The Chief Clerk should maintain a file for his six monthly inspection reports.