33

H.—l4

As the Post and Telegraph Department has been classified for many years there is nothing special to remark about these figures, which show what is apparently a normal expansion. The Administrative Division is not included : the salaries for 1913-14 amounted to £20,675. Transfer of Duties from one Officer to Another. An important matter (which was strongly emphasized in the First Report, and is provided for in the Public Service Regulations) is the necessity for changing the duties of the staff, wherever practicable, with some regularity, so as to afford officers the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the different features of the work and the organization of their Departments. This is particularly essential in the case of junior clerks and cadets, because it has been found from the best experience that in order to render them suitable for other duties the younger officers should not remain for too long a period at a particular class of work. Whenever an officer takes over the duties of another officer, either temporarily or permanently, it should be the special duty of the controlling officer or sectional head to make sure, before the position is vacated, that the incoming officer is reasonably conversant with all instructions relative to his new duties. It is to be regretted, in view of their importance, that instruction-books are not in general use for the guidance of staff, setting out in complete detail the practice to be followed in each section of the work of a Department. If duties were properly defined, and the relations which should exist between the officers in one section or branch of a Department with another made clear by means of standard instructions, not only would there be uniformity of method and community of interest, but the transfer of duties from one officer to another could be effected with a minimum of inconvenience. In the case of a permanent transfer of duties there should always be a report made by the outgoing officer upon the condition of his work, which report should be endorsed or remarked upon by the incoming officer and handed to the sectional or controlling head. When the transfer involves the taking-over of cash or valuables of any description whatever, a statement should be drawn up and signed by both officers and countersigned by the sectional or controlling head. Transfer of Officers between Departments. The fact that the Departments are rapidly becoming a concrete whole has enabled several promising officers to be considered for promotion to Departments other than their own. As in many other ways, the Commissioners are much hampered by the existence of so many small Departments, which are inclined to resent vigorously the transfer of their officers, although there would be little prospect of advancement for them if they remained. If the best advantage is to be taken of young officers wj.th special qualifications it is imperative that they should be given every opportunity of competing for vacancies for which their special knowledge renders them valuable. The following typical cases may be instanced as showing the range of selection during the year : — Clerk, Land and Deeds Department, to Clerk to Native Land Purchase Board and Correspondence Clerk, Native Department. Accounts Clerk, Immigration Department, to Inspector, Land and Income Tax Department. Clerk, Post and Telegraph Department, to Chief Clerk, Public Works Department, Wanganui. Clerk, Government Insurance Department, to Inspector, Land and Income Tax Department. Clerk, Valuation Department, to Examiner, Audit Department. Clerk, Government Insurance Department, to Principal Clerk, National Provident and Friendly Societies Department. Palaeontologist, Mines Department, to Director, Dominion Museum. Carpenter, Post and Telegraph Department, to Draughtsman, Lands and Survey Department. Folder, &c, Printing and Stationery Department, to Machinist, Treasury Department.

5—H. 14.