H.-14

4

in recent years, both in regard to cost and personnel, were confined almost exclusively to developmental services, social services, and trading Departments ; the increases in the purely administrative departments being comparatively small. During the past year just under one-third (47) of the increase in the number of appointments mentioned above is accounted for by additional appointments to the Public Trust Office, due to expansion of business. These salaries do not represent a charge on the Consolidated Fund, and therefore do not constitute a burden upon the taxpayer. Twenty per cent, of the increa.se is due to the appointment of additional trainees for the school dental clinics, in conformity with the established policy of Government in connection with this important social service. Seven appointments arose out of the establishment of a completely new Department —namely, the Transport Department. As an indication of the curtailment of fresh appointments it may be mentioned that, out of 1,734 candidates who had passed the qualifying examination for admission to cadetships in the Public Service, only 223 were appointed. Examinations. The preliminary educational requirements for admission to cadetships in the Public Service are the Public Service Entrance Examination, the Matriculation Examination, or qualification for the higher leaving certificate. Such qualifications are regarded merely as an entrance standard. Officers are encouraged to continue their study along lines likely to equip them for the better performance of their duties. It is the practice to grant double increments on the passing of such examinations as the Law Professional, the Accountancy Professional, and other University degrees, provided the officer is not above Class VI. In certain Departments, where technical qualifications constitute an essential part of the equipment for the efficient carryingout of the duties, salary bars have been instituted, above which officers cannot proceed without having passed a higher qualifying examination. In selecting officers for promotion to higher executive positions recognition is also given to examination qualifications. As an indication of the effect of the foregoing policy on the standard of education in the Public Service, it is interesting to note that at the time when the Commissioner system was inaugurated, in 1913, when the Public Service Act first came into operation, the number of officers who had passed the Law Professional Examination or had attained the degree of Bachelor of Laws or Master of Laws was 43, whereas at the present time there are no less than 198 in the Public Service who have so qualified ; and similarly the number who have passed the Accountant's Professional Examination or attained the Bachelor of Commerce or Master of Commerce degree in the Public Service has increased from 18 in 1913 to 255 at the present time. The number who held engineering degrees or diplomas in 1913 was 159, as compared with 194 in the Service to-day. The number who possess other University degrees has increased from 21 in 1913 to 214. Although there is provision under the Public Service Act for the Commissioner to make special appointments to the Public Service in particular cases of persons holding University degrees or other special qualifications, a cardinal feature of the New Zealand Public Service is promotion wherever practicable from within the Service and equal opportunity for all, merit, and merit alone, being the determining factor. The avenues of promotion are open to all officers who are qualified, and in this respect the New Zealand Public Service is more democratic than the English Civil Service, where all the higher positions are restricted to University-trained men. Entrance Examinations. The usual annual Public Service Entrance Examination for admission to cadetships in the Public Service was held in November, 1929, when 2,557 candidates, including boys and girls, entered for the examination, as compared with 2,462 in the previous November. Of the number presented 1,417 candidates passed the examination, 1,074 failed, and 66 absented themselves from the examination. The examination was conducted at sixty-nine centres, including Suva (Fiji). In addition, in November last, Senior and Junior Entrance Examinations were held in twenty-nine centres for shorthand-typists, for which there were 939 entries, an increase of 106 over the previous year : 599 of the candidates were successful in passing the examinations, 328 failed, and 12 did not present themselves.