RAILWAYS. 
171 
medical staff, which should be responsible not only for medical treat- 
ment but also for the supervision of health and sanitation in all direc- 
tions. We therefore recommend that all railway medical officers should 
be definitely precluded from private practice, except in the case of families 
of railway servants, as we consider that full scope exists in the railway 
service for all their time and energies. In view of the character of the 
duties required of these officers, the importance of public health qualifica- 
tions should be recognised by all administrations. Chief Medical Officers, 
in particular, should be required to devote more time to inspections. 
Welfare Committees. 
Apart from the need of creating machinery to form a link 
between the administration and the workers with regard to the settle- 
ment of grievances and the prevention of industrial disputes, develop- 
ments in welfare work have called for organisations intended to encourage 
the staff to participate in welfare activities. Reference has already been 
made to the formation on various railways of staff committees, staff 
welfare committees and staff councils. In addition, on almost all 
tailways sanitary committees have been formed ab various centres ; these 
meet periodically and make suggestions for improving health conditions 
in the railway colonies. On the South Indian Railway the jurisdiction 
of these sanitary committees has been extended to include all matters 
relating to the comfort and well-being of the railway communities, the 
expenses incurred being borne by the railway administration. Although 
the local medical officer is always a member, the organisation of local 
and sanitary committees is often placed under the engineering depart- 
Ment, on the ground that it is considered best fitted to supervise the 
general conditions of the quarters and to correct deficiencies. The 
duties of these committees are only advisory and the executive charge 
of sanitation and health should always remain in the hands of the medical 
department. It seems desirable to extend the functions of all local 
committees to welfare work. We consider that both Chief and District 
medical officers should take an active part in encouraging this work and 
in stimulating local interest in the general advance of the health and 
welfare of the railway communities. On more than one railway the 
election of workers to the committees by the votes of fellow workers has 
proved of value, and we recommend that, wherever possible, each com- 
mittee should have a proportion of elected members representative of 
lifferent classes of workers living within the area it serves. 
Statistics. 
While acknowledging the ready assistance given by the 
Railway Board and its officers, we feel attention must be drawn 
“0 the necessity for information concerning staff matters " being 
nade more readily available in published reports. For many years 
she annual reports by the Railway Board on the working of Indian 
railways have given operating and financial figures in considerable detail, 
but it is only within the past year or two that staff statistics have 
been published to any extent. These consist mainlv of statements