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practice is being adopted of exchanging all regulations both with Australia and with other British countries in which the Public Services are controlled by Commissioners, in order that any new ideas introduced in regard to Public Service control may be examined to see if they are applicable to this Dominion. Board of Appeal. The Board of Appeal constituted under the Public Service Regulations com menced its meetings for the hearing of appeals on the 20th September, 1913, and is likely to be engaged until the end of July or later in completing the hearing of appeals. Public Service Official Circular. As a convenient means of conveying to Departments instructions for their guidance, and of acquainting officers with matters of interest to themselves, the "Public Service Official Circular" was instituted in December last, and further numbers are issued at intervals of about a month. The Circular is sent to all Departments in sufficient numbers to allow of copies being available for district offices. Any extra Circulars issued during the month, before the date of publication of the Official Circular, are, if the importance of the subject warrants it, reprinted in the next issue. In addition to notices of general interest, advertisements of vacancies open to officers are inserted in the Circular, thus giving officers in remote localities opportunities equal to those of officers stationed in Wellington of applying for positions for which they are eligible. Names of officers appointed to such positions are published in due course in a subsequent issue of the Circular. The inclusion of lists of officers appointed on probation, and of lists showing recent promotions, serves to keep members of the Service posted with information, regarding staff changes ; while those officers who accept the invitation given in the regulations to make suggestions for improvement in regard to their work are specially named under an appropriate heading. Conferences of Officers. In the First Report reference was made to the importance of conferences being held between the Head Offices and District Offices for the purpose of reviewing the internal practices of the Departments, and it is pleasing to place on record that several such conferences have been held in the past year. Land Transfer and Deeds Registration Office. —In November, 1913, the District Land Registrars of the various districts in the Dominion met in conference in Wellington to discuss a draft of proposed amendments in the regulations which was submitted to them by the Department, to arrive at uniformity in practice in regard to their work, and to consider suggestions for improvement. It was considered that very great good would result from the conference, and that further meetings should be held at suitable intervals. Valuation Department. —In November, 1913, a conference was attended in Wellington by the officers in charge of the four chief valuation districts, and by the District Valuer for Gisborne. The two main objects of the conference were — (1) To discuss the multiple scheme for preparing the valuation rolls, and (2) to enable the provisions of the recent Valuation of Land Amendment Act to be explained. Departmental Property Conference. —A conference of all the Permanent Heads was called in March last to discuss with the Commissioners the important subject of the care of departmental property. Draft regulations were submitted, and a committee formed to deal thoroughly with the matter. These regulations have since been finally approved and gazetted. Workshop Rules. —The draft regulations intended to apply to Government workshop employees were submitted to a conference consisting of the Permanent Heads of the Public Works, Post and Telegraph, and Printing and Stationery Departments. The recommendations of the conference were fully considered before the regulations were finally issued. Public Trust Office. —The first annual conference of the senior officers at the Head Office and branches was held at Wellington during April last. The conference had for its object the full discussion of all matters bearing upon the policy of the office, its organization, method of dealing with the various classes

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