H.—l4

14

made by the Department for the gradual introduction of the new registration system throughout the Dominion. The Permanent Head reports that the work of registration under the new system will be carried out much more satisfactorily by clerical officers than by the Inspectors of Stock, who will thus be relieved of unnecessary clerical work. Mr. C. H. E. Stichbury, Government Insurance Department, Wellington, suggested a scheme which has had the effect of largely reducing and simplifying the work in connection with 'fire-insurance policies on mortgaged properties. The new system has been found so effective in the Government Insurance Department that its adoption by the other lending Departments of the State is now being considered. Mr. G. W. Clinkard, Land and Income Tax Department, Wellington, suggested an alteration in the form of account and master sheets at present in use in connection with land- and income-tax work, which will result in improvements in the preparation of accounts. Mr. J. Monahan, Land and Income Tax Department, Wellington, submitted a scheme to avoid the rewriting of assessment-tickets from the rough registers of the Department, and a proposal to prepare land-tax-return forms for issue for two years at the one operation by carbon process. Mr. J. W. Salmon, Post and Telegraph Department, Wellington, submitted new forms for the simplification of account-keeping by Registrars of Electors. This scheme will be more economical than, as well as a great improvement on, the old method. Mr. R. F. G. Hannan, Land and Deeds Registry Office, Wellington, suggested that steps should be taken to prevent the present loss arising through the evasion of the payment of search fees payable under the Land Transfer and Deeds Registration Acts; and, as a result, action has been taken to further safeguard the collection of this revenue. Mr. M. J. A. McKeefry, Land and Deeds Registry Office, Dunedin, suggested that numbering-machines should be introduced for the numbering of documents and deeds, which work is at present done by hand. This system has been tried in the Dunedin office, and has given entire satisfaction. Mr. P. C. Jordan, Government Printing Office, Wellington, made suggestions having for their object the improvement of the present system of accounting in the Department. These have been approved. Office Accommodation. The accommodation provided in the majority of cases for Government offices is just about as unsuitable as it could be. It usually consists of a series of small rooms, which it can easily be understood renders supervision an impossibility ; moreover, under such conditions an undesirable result is that the isolation of officers brings about lines of demarcation fatal to good management, and destroys the community of interest. For the purpose of dealing with all matters of accommodation, a Board, reporting to the Minister of Internal Affairs —consisting of Messrs. R. Triggs, Assistant Public Service Commissioner ; H. J. H. Blow, Permanent Head, Public Works Department; and J. Hislop, Permanent Head, Department of Internal Affairs —was set up in September, 1913, and it has made recommendations for the rearrangement of the new buildings at Christchurch, the Government Buildings at Auckland, and also at Nelson, besides providing for and rearranging the accommodation in several of the smaller Departments generally. Appendix B contains an epitome of the several matters dealt with by the Board. Stores. Prominence was given to the question of stores administration in the first report, and a great deal of attention has been given to the matter during the past year. Although an exhaustive examination into the practices adopted in the different stores branches of the Departments was not feasible, information has been collected, and eventually important changes will be effected, with (1) a resultant increase in the efficiency of administration, and (2) considerable economy in the