A.—4b

7

48. The rate charged for commission on money-orders is low, and advantage is taken by the commercial community for remittance of large amounts. A recommendation for an increase is made. Wireless Station. 49. The operation of the station is in control of New Zealand trained officials. 50. Kecent reductions have been made by means of dispensing with the services of an engineersalary, £515, and free quarters. 51. The work, though related to the Post Office, is, as organized, entirely separate and distinct. The location of the present high-power station at a considerable distance from Apia, and which is reached by indifferent means of access, necessarily affects the present high cost of maintenance. 52. It is recommended that the proposal to abandon the present site and to erect a low-power station adjacent to the town be given immediate attention. The work should then form part of the postal organization ; lower maintenance cost would accrue, and the reduction in staff would be material. 53. The system of accounting requires immediate consideration. We were advised that there has been no audit or other check in the financial transactions of the station, the responsibility for which was avoided by the officials one would have expected to be primarily concerned in the matter. This audit should be undertaken at the earliest opportunity. 54. Pending amalgamation of the station with the Post Office, the collections for transmissions should be made either through the Post Office or the Treasury, and not by the officer in charge of the station. Police Department. 55. As is almost inevitable in similar circumstances, there is a certain amount of friction and lack of co-ordination between the Military Police and the Civil Police, but in view of the proposed merging of the two services probably no action is called for. 56. We recommend that the Native Police Force should be reduced immediately from the present staff of twenty-six to ten. 57. The Police Department maintains a messenger service round the Island of Upolu, on which nine messengers are employed. The object is to deliver Government messages to Natives and Government officials, and apparently the only method of achieving this is to dispatch messengers on a walking-tour of the island, a journey occupying some days. We suggest immediate inquiries as to the necessity for this messenger force, with a view to dispensing with it altogether or drastically reducing the number of messengers required. 58. We consider that the motor and taxi license fees should be revised with a view to an increase. 59. We consider that all forms of license and other money forms, in this as in other Departments, should be properly recorded and numbered. 60. The banking in this Department we regard as particularly loose, and suggest this for the early attention of the new Treasurer. Military Police. 61. The expenditure in connection with the Military Police is charged to New Zealand in accordance with section 7 of the Finance Act, 1928. We feel that in many cases expenditure has been incurred which should have had prior approval from New Zealand, and that in general too heavy a burden has been placed upon this item : e.g., all medical attention for members of the Force has been charged as for individual visits, with the result that the total has been practically sufficient to pay the cost of a medical officer for the Force alone. The amount charged for transport also is in our opinion out of all reason, and should be reconsidered at once. 62. A Ford car has now been purchased for the use of the Military Police without previous approval from New Zealand. We think it should have been possible to provide for the transport of the police from the transport pool. 63. We think also that where members of the Samoa Military Police are performing ordinary police functions in the arrest of criminals and misdemeanants the special expenses of such arrests should be charged to the Samoan Treasury, and not to the New Zealand item. 64. We recommend that, as soon as may be, such Military Police as may be retained should be allotted definite functions in the Administration, in addition to police duties. Jltstice Department. 65. The administrative work of this Department appears, with minor exceptions, to be well done, again due, we think, to the employment of a trained officer from New Zealand. 66. We consider, however, that the Court fees should be increased to such an extent as to cover the actual cost of the services performed, which is far from the case at present. 67. The fees for mileage specified by the rules are not being charged. 68. The statutes in use by the Department are not annotated, and we suggest this for immediate attention. 69. The Law Trust Account is not regularly checked. This should be attended to without delay. 70. The Court fees are paid by way of stamps, and we suggest a reversion to the practice of paying in cash. Education Department. 71. A considerable reduction in the expenditure under this head has already been made, and we regard this as satisfactory as far as it goes.