H.—llA.

(22) Departmental representatives attached to — (i) Bureau of Industry ; Cii) Small Farms Board ; (iii) Defence; (iv) Major Works Committee ; (v) Building Committee ; (vi) Building Training Committee ; (vii) National Superannuation and Health Committee. While the foregoing does not cover the full extent of the activities of the Employment Division, it may serve to give at least a general idea of the diversity and extent of its sphere of operations and the absolute necessity for continual planning in order that no possible method of alleviating, or reducing, unemployment may be left unprobed. Little or no constructive criticism comes from outside sources, while often time devoted to planning cannot yield full profit because of the discovery of an insurmountable obstacle or impractical conclusion. Again, as all activities of the Department have to be correlated to any associated operations of other Departments, discussions and co-ordination become necessary, but there is no outward indication of the time which officers have devoted to this phase. As an instance of this it may be mentioned that proposals are being submitted concerning the direct study and classification of the unemployed as well as the question of policy in relation to the payment of sick benefit: the simple statement of these plans gives no idea of the necessarily very considerable amount of time devoted to the study by a number of officers. I feel that these concluding paragraphs referring to the work of the Division are quite incomplete without an expression of appreciation of the services rendered by the staff. During the whole of my experience in the Public Service I have never encountered any set of officers who have so ungrudgingly and enthusiastically worked much beyond their official hours over a long period as the staff of the Employment Division. To them are due my sincere thanks for their assistance and co-operation.

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