DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68025#0114
Mr. A.
Knyvett,
2 Jan., 1908.
Col. Macrae.
2 Jan., 1908.
108
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE :
of work has improved. The system has bee'n in opera-
tion since 1905 ; we had schools before that, but I
think that the improvement has been in the last four or
five years.
17090. Are sub-inspectors eligible for promotion to
the post of Inspectors and Deputy Superintendents ?—•
Certainly, we do not bar merit.
17091. Have the Magistrate’s powers with reference
to the police been restricted in any way in recent years ?
—Not that I know of ; he is just what he was before ;
he is in general charge of the administration of his
district.
17092. Has he any power over the promotion of
police officers above the rank of head-constable and
sub-inspectors ?—He has always the power of recom-
mending.
17093. Suppose a man is promoted and he vetoes it ;
has he any power of suspending promotion ?—He has
not the power of actually stopping it, but if he gave
his reasons for thinking that the promotion should not
be made, that would most certainly be considered and
given effect to.
17094. Is not the Magistrate the officer who sees the
work of the inspectors so far as criminal investigation
is concerned ?—I do not think he sees the actual work
of the officers at all.
17095. Is it the fact that under the old rules the
sanction of the District Magistrate was required in
Bengal before a sub-inspector could be promoted ?—I
do not think so ; I think promotions are generally
made by consultation ; my recollection is that one
always worked with the Magistrate as far as one
possibly could in any matter of that sort. All orders
passed by the District Superintendent used to go up to
the District Magistrate. The order could not be
carried out until it was countersigned by him.
17096. Is that still in force?—Not to the same
extent.
17097. So that the Magistrate’s control over the
police has been relaxed to a large extent ?—In certain
matters of discipline and internal economy of the
force, that is all.
17098. Is that relaxation desirable ?—I certainly
think so.
17099. Is it still the duty of the chaukidar to attend
at the police-station on certain days ?—The whole of
that experiment is in a state of transition. In certain
districts no effect has been given to the new orders at
all ; in other districts it has ; in the districts where the
new idea is being worked, the chaukidars come in once
a week, instead of once a month.
17100. Do the police still depend upon the chaukidars
for information as to crime in the villages ?—Yes ; that
is their only means of getting information.
17101. And you have no power of punishing them
or the dafiadars if they do not report crime properly ?
—The District Superintendent can only recommend
chaukidars for punishment ; the daffadars are under
the police, and they can be punished.
(77; c witness wit/idrew.)
Colonel R. Macrae, K.C.I.E., was called and examined.
17102. {Chairman.) You are Inspector-General of
Civil Hospitals in Bengal ?—Yes.
17103. Will you state briefly the organization of
your Department ?—-The strength of the gazetted staff
of the Department is—1 Inspector-General of Civil
Hospitals, 1 Personal Assistant, 52 Commissioned or
Indian Medical Service officers, 6 Uncovenanted Medical
officers, 27 Military Assistant Surgeons, and 146 Civil
Assistant Surgeons, or a total of 223. There are also
336 Civil Hospital Assistants (non-gazetted) and 186
local native doctors. There are altogether 603 hos-
pitals and dispensaries in Bengal, of which 19 are in
Calcutta and 584 in the mufassal.
The Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals as head of
the Medical Service in Bengal is responsible for the
general working of the department in all its branches,
and it is his duty to see by inspection and otherwise
that the work is properly and efficiently carried out.
He also controls medical education in Bengal and
initiates reforms in all matters relating to the Medical
Department. In regard to the Medical College, Cal-
cutta, there is a special College Council composed of
the Principal and all the professors who discuss from
time to time matters concerning the internal discipline
of the College and any other matter of importance
concerning the College.
Commissioned officers, i.e., all members of the Indian
Medical Service, are appointed in England by the
Secretary of State for India. They belong primarily
to the Military Department of the Government of
India, and are lent to Local Governments through the
Home Department, and are liable to be taken back in
time of emergency. While in civil employ, they are
posted at the discretion of the Local Government on
the recommendation of the Inspector-General of Civil
Hospitals, except in the case of some Calcutta appoint-
ments, which are subject to the approval of the
Government of India. The Uncovenanted Medical
Service, which now comprises only 6 officers, is being
gradually closed under the orders of the Government
of India. Postings in this service are made at the
discretion of the Local Government on the recom-
mendation of the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals.
The Military Assistant Surgeons’ service is a war
reserve lent by the Government of India to Local
Governments ; its members are liable to be recalled to
military duty. This service is controlled by the
Director-General, Indian Medical Service, with whom
the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals corresponds
direct. While they are in civil employ their move-
ments are regulated by the Local Government on the
advice of the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals.
The Civil Assistant Surgeons’ Service is recruited in
Calcutta from passed students of the Medical College.
Similarly, in the case of Civil Hospital Assistants,
recruitments are made from the three Medical Schools
in Bengal. The Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals
has no power to punish Indian Medical Service officers,
Uncovenanted Medical officers, Military or Civil
Assistant Surgeons, but he can, of course, recommend
them for punishment. In regard to Civil Hospital
Assistants, he has full power, but in cases of dismissal,
his action has to be reported for the information of
Government.
Our system is unnecessarily cumbrous, dilatory, and
roundabout. Work would be facilitated by dele-
gating to the Inspector-General powers which he does
not now possess. For example, although the cadre of
Assistant Surgeons and Hospital Assistants is fixed,
I cannot recruit an officer to fill a vacancy without
first asking for the formal sanction of Government.
I do not see how it is possible to curtail the right of
appeal. If all officers were on an equality in respect
of judgment and ability, it would be possible to limit
appeals ; as it is, I do not see how it can be done
without risk of injustice.
So far as my Service is concerned, they have the
best opportunities for coming in contact with the
people. Many officers acquire an excellent knowledge
of the vernaculars, and all are required to pass a
colloquial examination in the language of the district
in which they are employed.
No general increase in the administrative staff is
necessary, but owing to the size of the province, it is
not possible for the Inspector-General of Civil Hos-
pitals to give the necessary time to inspection. To
secure greater efficiency in this respect, the Inspector-
General of Prisons and Sanitary Commissioner might
be authorised to inspect hospitals in places visited by
them if the officer in charge is junior to them.
17104. With regard to the Commissioned Indian
Medical Service officers, are you free either to promote
or to post these officers ?—I am not free to promote
them, that is to say in rank ; I recommend postings
to the Local Government.
17105. Are your recommendations as to postings
often over-ruled or disregarded ?—No. As a rule I get
my own way ; practically when there are many postings
to be done, I arrange them with the Lieutenant-
Governor before sending up regular proposals.
17106. Are you content that reference should be
required to the Local Government before your recom-
mendations are sanctioned, or would it be well that
Knyvett,
2 Jan., 1908.
Col. Macrae.
2 Jan., 1908.
108
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE :
of work has improved. The system has bee'n in opera-
tion since 1905 ; we had schools before that, but I
think that the improvement has been in the last four or
five years.
17090. Are sub-inspectors eligible for promotion to
the post of Inspectors and Deputy Superintendents ?—•
Certainly, we do not bar merit.
17091. Have the Magistrate’s powers with reference
to the police been restricted in any way in recent years ?
—Not that I know of ; he is just what he was before ;
he is in general charge of the administration of his
district.
17092. Has he any power over the promotion of
police officers above the rank of head-constable and
sub-inspectors ?—He has always the power of recom-
mending.
17093. Suppose a man is promoted and he vetoes it ;
has he any power of suspending promotion ?—He has
not the power of actually stopping it, but if he gave
his reasons for thinking that the promotion should not
be made, that would most certainly be considered and
given effect to.
17094. Is not the Magistrate the officer who sees the
work of the inspectors so far as criminal investigation
is concerned ?—I do not think he sees the actual work
of the officers at all.
17095. Is it the fact that under the old rules the
sanction of the District Magistrate was required in
Bengal before a sub-inspector could be promoted ?—I
do not think so ; I think promotions are generally
made by consultation ; my recollection is that one
always worked with the Magistrate as far as one
possibly could in any matter of that sort. All orders
passed by the District Superintendent used to go up to
the District Magistrate. The order could not be
carried out until it was countersigned by him.
17096. Is that still in force?—Not to the same
extent.
17097. So that the Magistrate’s control over the
police has been relaxed to a large extent ?—In certain
matters of discipline and internal economy of the
force, that is all.
17098. Is that relaxation desirable ?—I certainly
think so.
17099. Is it still the duty of the chaukidar to attend
at the police-station on certain days ?—The whole of
that experiment is in a state of transition. In certain
districts no effect has been given to the new orders at
all ; in other districts it has ; in the districts where the
new idea is being worked, the chaukidars come in once
a week, instead of once a month.
17100. Do the police still depend upon the chaukidars
for information as to crime in the villages ?—Yes ; that
is their only means of getting information.
17101. And you have no power of punishing them
or the dafiadars if they do not report crime properly ?
—The District Superintendent can only recommend
chaukidars for punishment ; the daffadars are under
the police, and they can be punished.
(77; c witness wit/idrew.)
Colonel R. Macrae, K.C.I.E., was called and examined.
17102. {Chairman.) You are Inspector-General of
Civil Hospitals in Bengal ?—Yes.
17103. Will you state briefly the organization of
your Department ?—-The strength of the gazetted staff
of the Department is—1 Inspector-General of Civil
Hospitals, 1 Personal Assistant, 52 Commissioned or
Indian Medical Service officers, 6 Uncovenanted Medical
officers, 27 Military Assistant Surgeons, and 146 Civil
Assistant Surgeons, or a total of 223. There are also
336 Civil Hospital Assistants (non-gazetted) and 186
local native doctors. There are altogether 603 hos-
pitals and dispensaries in Bengal, of which 19 are in
Calcutta and 584 in the mufassal.
The Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals as head of
the Medical Service in Bengal is responsible for the
general working of the department in all its branches,
and it is his duty to see by inspection and otherwise
that the work is properly and efficiently carried out.
He also controls medical education in Bengal and
initiates reforms in all matters relating to the Medical
Department. In regard to the Medical College, Cal-
cutta, there is a special College Council composed of
the Principal and all the professors who discuss from
time to time matters concerning the internal discipline
of the College and any other matter of importance
concerning the College.
Commissioned officers, i.e., all members of the Indian
Medical Service, are appointed in England by the
Secretary of State for India. They belong primarily
to the Military Department of the Government of
India, and are lent to Local Governments through the
Home Department, and are liable to be taken back in
time of emergency. While in civil employ, they are
posted at the discretion of the Local Government on
the recommendation of the Inspector-General of Civil
Hospitals, except in the case of some Calcutta appoint-
ments, which are subject to the approval of the
Government of India. The Uncovenanted Medical
Service, which now comprises only 6 officers, is being
gradually closed under the orders of the Government
of India. Postings in this service are made at the
discretion of the Local Government on the recom-
mendation of the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals.
The Military Assistant Surgeons’ service is a war
reserve lent by the Government of India to Local
Governments ; its members are liable to be recalled to
military duty. This service is controlled by the
Director-General, Indian Medical Service, with whom
the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals corresponds
direct. While they are in civil employ their move-
ments are regulated by the Local Government on the
advice of the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals.
The Civil Assistant Surgeons’ Service is recruited in
Calcutta from passed students of the Medical College.
Similarly, in the case of Civil Hospital Assistants,
recruitments are made from the three Medical Schools
in Bengal. The Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals
has no power to punish Indian Medical Service officers,
Uncovenanted Medical officers, Military or Civil
Assistant Surgeons, but he can, of course, recommend
them for punishment. In regard to Civil Hospital
Assistants, he has full power, but in cases of dismissal,
his action has to be reported for the information of
Government.
Our system is unnecessarily cumbrous, dilatory, and
roundabout. Work would be facilitated by dele-
gating to the Inspector-General powers which he does
not now possess. For example, although the cadre of
Assistant Surgeons and Hospital Assistants is fixed,
I cannot recruit an officer to fill a vacancy without
first asking for the formal sanction of Government.
I do not see how it is possible to curtail the right of
appeal. If all officers were on an equality in respect
of judgment and ability, it would be possible to limit
appeals ; as it is, I do not see how it can be done
without risk of injustice.
So far as my Service is concerned, they have the
best opportunities for coming in contact with the
people. Many officers acquire an excellent knowledge
of the vernaculars, and all are required to pass a
colloquial examination in the language of the district
in which they are employed.
No general increase in the administrative staff is
necessary, but owing to the size of the province, it is
not possible for the Inspector-General of Civil Hos-
pitals to give the necessary time to inspection. To
secure greater efficiency in this respect, the Inspector-
General of Prisons and Sanitary Commissioner might
be authorised to inspect hospitals in places visited by
them if the officer in charge is junior to them.
17104. With regard to the Commissioned Indian
Medical Service officers, are you free either to promote
or to post these officers ?—I am not free to promote
them, that is to say in rank ; I recommend postings
to the Local Government.
17105. Are your recommendations as to postings
often over-ruled or disregarded ?—No. As a rule I get
my own way ; practically when there are many postings
to be done, I arrange them with the Lieutenant-
Governor before sending up regular proposals.
17106. Are you content that reference should be
required to the Local Government before your recom-
mendations are sanctioned, or would it be well that