H.—l4,

Oliver, Dr. W. R. 8., Director, Dominion Museum, Internal Affairs Department, Wellington : To Australia, to attend a Conference of Directors of Museums and Art Galleries at Melbourne. Simpson, G. M., Nautical Surveyor of Ships, Marine Department, Wellington ; To Samoa, to act on Commission of Inquiry into wreck of launch " Tiafau," and to survey local boats and harbour-works. Smith, S. J., Secretary, Cook Islands Department, Wellington : To Rarotonga, on special duty. Tiller, L. W., Assistant Manager, Research Orchard, Scientific and Industrial Research Department, Appleby : To England, to accompany an experimental fruit shipment and study fruit problems on arrival. Suggestions for Improvement. Under Public Service Regulation 17, officers are invited to forward for the consideration of the Commissioner any fresh ideas or proposals that are likely to improve the organization or efficiency of the service. In cases where a suggestion of merit is brought forward, it is the practice to make a small monetary reward. Though no such monetary consideration was granted, the following suggestions made during the year are worthy of mention : —

Eecruitment op the Public Service. In 1913, Mr. D. Robertson, 1.5.0., the first Public Service Commissioner, commented as follows on the staffing of Departments as it appeared to him during the first year of the Commissioner system of control of the Public Service : — It is necessary to remember that in New Zealand the range of Government business — including, as it does, such commercial institutions as the Government Insurance Department, the State Fire Insurance Department, the Public Trust Office, the State Coal Office, besides special Departments which have assumed larger proportions in this Dominion than they have done elsewhere—is very great. There are also many small Departments which, as already mentioned, have been allowed to obtain an independent existence, instead of being mere sections of larger Departments. The training of officers in commercial Departments is widely different to that of officers in revenue-collecting or recording Departments, so that it is only to be expected that the standard of officers is comparatively higher in some Departments than in others. In some Departments the staff was found to be of the highest efficiency, while in others, the deadliness of routine work did not appear to make for the best results. In some small Departments there is no need to train cadets in any special way, with the result that routine has had time to do its worst before the officer is appointed to any position of control. While some of such men may rise to the occasion, the majority necessarily take a narrower view of the affairs of life than is desirable. This matter will be taken in hand, and an endeavour will be made to render the stay of promising lads as short a one as practicable where the field of operations is of a routine or limited nature. It is confidently asserted that this condition of affairs in regard to staff does not apply at the present time. Since 1932 the minimum educational qualification for entrance to the Public Service has been the University Entrance Examination. Appointments to the Service are made from, an order-of-merit list arranged on the following basis, preference being given in the order stated : — (a) Those with a section of a degree or a pass in two or more subjects of a professional examination — e.g., Accountants' Professional, Law Professional, &c. —according to the number of subjects in which they have passed. (b) Those passing the University Entrance Scholarship Examination with credit. (c) Those with the University Entrance Examination and a Higher Leaving Certificate. (d) Those with the University Entrance Examination.

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Name. Department. Suggestion. Boyes, F. C. B. .. Land and Deeds .. Regarding payment of stamp duty on certain documents. Murray, E. B. C. .. Land and Deeds .. Regarding change in system of paying search fees.