H.—-14

20

The following is a list of officers who have passed important public examinations during the year ended 31st March, 1914, and who have received double increments in salary under Regulation 205. The Public Service Senior Examination passes are not included : —

Shorthand-writing and Typing. Public examinations of candidates for admission to the Public Service as shorthand-writers and typistes were held at Auckland, Wellington, and Nelson on the 7th February, the conditions in all particulars being the same as those previously obtaining. The numbers of entries were eleven, four, and three respectively. The passes in the whole examination only totalled four, the distribution among the centres being three, one, and nil respectively. The promise of improvement shown in the second of the two examinations conducted last year has, unfortunately, not been realized. The quality of the work of the candidates on this occasion was distinctly poor in all essentials. In addition to the public examinations above mentioned, there were at different times two other examinations held—viz., at Invercargill and Wanganui-— to test the merits of applicants for an advertised vacancy in each of these places. The numbers of candidates examined were three and five respectively. Further examinations have been conducted from time to time during the year in the Public Service Commissioner's Office to test the qualifications of individual applicants for employment. The result in nearly every case has tended to confirm the experience noted in the public examinations. For instance, of eleven girls who presented themselves foi examination between the 3rd November and the 18th December, 1913, not one succeeded in passing a reasonable test, and most failed badly. Scrutiny of the shorthand-work revealed the fact that the training of many of the candidates leaves a good deal to be desired; and in many instances, where the possession of common-sense and intelligence would tide a candidate over some of the difficulties resulting from this faulty training, experience unfortunately shows that these necessary qualities are wanting to a large extent. The quality of the typewriting-work was equally disappointing. In the speed test the work of the great majority of the candidates in regard to the three main qualifications —of speed, accuracy, and neatness —was exceedingly poor, and " style " was conspicuous only by its absence. It is hard to understand why candidates, who in nearly every case have attended classes at the various recognized schools, and have presumably undergone a course of instruction, should make such a lamentable showing when subjected to a simple test. It is also necessary to

Name. Department. Place. Place. Examination. H Berendsen, C. A. Churches, T. A. Condliffe, J. B. Faire, A. S. . . Gibson, J. J. McGregor, E. Robertson, H. M. ('. Rose, G. G Ryan, P. J. .. Scott, J. A. .. Sharp, H. H. Stubbs, H. .. Suckling, C. A. Tarrant, E. N. Thomas, W. C. Tracy, W. F. Verschaffelt, P. D. N... Vollemacre, II. A. Walshe, T. P. Ward, R. F... Williams, H. Education .. .. .. Wellington Post and Telegraph .. .. ,, Customs .. .. .. Christchurch Public Trust .. .. .. Wellington Public Works .. .. .. ' Lake Coleridge Customs .. .. . . Dunedin .. Post and Telegraph .. .. Wellington Public Trust . . . . . . " Agriculture .. .. Public Works .. .. .. Greymouth Public Trust . . . . . . ; Wellington „ .. .. Christchurch Audit .. .. .. .. Wellington Customs .. . . . . ,, .. LL.B. Accounta ui's. .. B.A. Solicitor's. Accountant's. Solicitor's. Accountant's. . . I Solicitor's. .. A.M.i.C.E. Solicitor's. Accountant's. • * ] yy ,, . . . . . . Invercargill Public Service Commissioner's Office Wellington Lands and Survey .. Auckland Land and Deeds . . .. ,, Lands and Survey .. . . ,, Government Insurance .. .. Wellington .. M.A. .. , Solicitor's. * * " .. LL.B.