F. 1.

Staff. Ccrmparativt Return of Officers of the Post and Telegraph Department for the Years ended 31st March, 1912, and 31st March, 1913. The total number of officers on the staff on the 31st March, 1912 and 1913, was as under:— 3lBt March, 31st Maroh, 1912. 1918. Postmaster-General ... ... .. ... 1 1 Classified staff, — First Division ... ... ... ... ... 3 o Clerical Division ... ... ... ... ...2,791 2,262General Division ... ... ... ... ... I o 100 ~ nc . A niu i r 2.122 3,094 Telegraph message-boys ... ... ... ...J Total, classified stafl ... ... ... 4,917 5,362 Kmployees not on permanent staff,— Country Postmasters and Postmistresses ... ... 2,178 2,219 Nightwatchmen ... ... ... ... ... 2 5 Mail-cart drivers ... .. ... ... ... 4 Postmasters and telegraphists or telephonists who are Railway officers ... ... ... ... 157 155 Total ... ... ... ... ... 7,258 7,741 Health o* Staff, The following table gives the average absence of officers on sick-leave : —• Numbers Average Absence T'^nTT comprised. per Sick Office, ""J^^"' Days. Days. Meu ... ... ... 4,59b 11-09 4-38 Women ... ... ... 764 1759 1034 Thirteen officers died during the year. Postmastkr-Genkral. The Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes assumed office as Postmaster-Genera] on the lOth Inly, 1912. Personal. The decoration of the Imperial Service Order was conferred on Mr, I). Robertson, late Secretary of the Department, in June, 1912. Mr. Robertson, who assumed the position of Secretary of the Department in 1907, having been appointed Commissioner under the Public Service Act, 1912, severed his connection with the Postal and Telegraph service as from the Ist January, 1913. Mr. W. R. Morris was appointed Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department on the Ist January, 1913, vice Mr. D. Robertson. On the same date .Messrs. V. V. Waters and G. B. Dall were appointed Assistant Secretaries : Mr. D. Miller, Chief Inspector of Post-offices; and Mr. J. C. Williamson, Chief Clerk. Mr. W. St. G. Douglas, Chief Postmaster, Dunedin; Mr. J. W. G&nnaway, Telegraph Engineer, Christchurch; Mr. W. -J. Chancy, Chief Postmaster. Napier; Mr. H. W. Capper, Chief Postmaster. Tiniam ; Mr. E. C. Gannaway, Assistant Postmaster. Wellington: Mr. J. H. Stevens, Assistant Inspector of Post-offices : Mr. B. N. Martin, Officer in Charge i>l the Telegraph-office, Christchurch ; and Mr. 11. Logic, Chief Postmaster, Thames, retired on pension during the year, after long and faithful service. Mr. J. K. Logan, 1.5.0., who retire! on pension on the Ist January, 1911, after over forty-five years' service, during the last seventeen years of which he filled the position of Superintendent of Electric Lines, died on the Bth November, 1912, while travelling abroad. Classification . By virtue of an Order in Council of the 7th October, 1912, persons of exceptional skill in the mechanical arts who have proved their qualifications to the satisfaction of the Minister may b» appointed to the Non-clerical Division at a higher age than thirty-five years. By Order in Council of the 18th November, 1912, provision was made for any officer who acts in a higher position at his own station for more than three consecutive months to be paid the difference between his salary and the minimum of the class above that in which he is placed. If he is in receipt of a higher salary than such minimum he may be paid an allowance at the rate of £10 per annum while so acting. Provision was also made for the payment of £10 per annum, pending promotion to a higher class, to any officer of the Seventh Class who has passed the Civil Service Senior Examination or the Senior Technical Examination, or any equivalent examination, and has been in receipt of the maximum salary of the class for one year.

■ A number of these officers was included in "he figures tor tkie Clerical Division iv previous year.

3