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117
one room; such an arrangement tends to constant interruptions,
distraction of attention, and talk instead of work. A series of
smaller rooms, each constructed for four or six workers, with ample
cupboard-and-shelf provision for the storage of books and papers
would be far preferable to large rooms occupied by many persons.
Moreover, it would be more convenient if the staff were concentrated
in one portion of the Town Hall.
During the latter part of the year 1919 and during this year
the whole of the staff working at the Town Hall, the staff of the
Electricity department, and the Libraries and Public Baths Staffs
have been re-classified. It is well known to the Council that I had
a strenuous struggle with the Establishment and General Purposes
Committee in my efforts to secure what I deemed to be fair and
equitable treatment for the Public Health Department. I am not
now desirous of complaining of the classification allotted to the
Sanitary Inspectors (2nd class) and Health Visitors (4th class), but
I think that the three senior Inspectors should have been placed in
the first class, if only as affording a something to look forward to
for the others, and an encouragement to induce them to stay in their
present office instead of seeking better appointments elsewhere ;
for it should be recognised that Sanitary Inspectors become most
useful when they have become thoroughly acquainted with their
districts, and with the property-owners, occupiers, builders, &c.
For this reason frequent changes are not desirable, and a wise
Council will endeavour to retain its Inspectors by making it wcrth
their while to stay. As to the Health Visitors, in view of their
training and 'professional qualifications, I think that they might have
been equitably placed in the third class. But it is against the classification
of the Clerical staff that I feel bound to record my strong
protest. What I thought would be a proper classification was:—
1 Special class, 2 first class, 1 second, 2 third, 1 fourth, 1 fifth.
The classification which was granted was:—1 Special class, 1 first,
1 second, 1 third, 2 fourth, 2 fifth. So we have half the clerks in this