H.—l4,

This list takes no account of the many who have graduated after admission to the Service and many others who are possessed of diplomas and professional qualifications obtained at Universities, or under the gegis of chartered institutions e.g., Institute of Civil Engineers, Institute of Mechanical Engineers, Institute of Electrical Engineers, Institute of Actuaries, Institute of Cost Accountants—but which have not the status of a degree. Efficiency Tests for Officers. During the course of the year regulations were published which provided for the examination of certain classes of officers in the General Division with the object of testing their comparative efficiency in the duties they are engaged upon and of their fitness to move to more advanced positions in the same class of work. During recent years there has been developing an ever-increasing responsibility that some _ classes of General Division officers are called upon to bear, and greater technical knowledge and skill that they are expected to have at their command. Salaries have increased commensurately until, in some instances, rewards are being paid as high as can be earned in the Professional and Clerical Divisions. In the latter two Divisions, particularly in the Professional, officers, before they can even enter or go beyond specified salary points, have to qualify academically. We have reached the conclusion, therefore, that if we are to maintain a high standard of efficiency among officers in the General Division whose duties are in their nature technical, the time has come when they should be put to the test to show their fitness for moving on to senior positions. We believe that this course is essential in the interests of good service to the State, as in many cases the public and Government alike are relying upon these officers for sound and skilful advice. It is for the good of the Departments that tests should be imposed as providing another guide to well-reasoned selection of staff for promotion, and as providing an impetus and necessity for training staff on lines well conceived and planned. It should enhearten the officers, being an earnest of the Commissioners' desire that only officers who are thoroughly acquainted with their immediate and future duties and the functions, practice, and procedure of their Department will be considered for advancement. The proposal is further justified on the grounds of equity. If we expect and demand professional and technical and even specific departmental qualifications shall be held by officers in other Divisions, then it is equitable that similar tests should be instituted for senior General Division officers advancing mainly along similar salary steps. At the present moment the Commissioners are engaged, in conjunction with departmental officers, upon the preparation of syllabuses. It is our intention when the present series is set in train to consider the extension of the principle to other classes of the General Division, and also to the Clerical and Professional Divisions. The Commissioners have been pleased to co-operate in instituting an alternative test for that class of officers who are engaged in the valuation of land or in farm-management. This is a large and important group that functions in varying degrees in severa l departments. They are concerned with large assets of .'the State in land and stock. Much reliance must necessarily be placed upon their advice by Government and farmer alike. There has been instituted at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, a postgraduate course in valuation and farm management and, with the approval of Government bursaries have been awarded to selected officers to enable them to take that course. The subjects provided for are farm-management, field husbandry, animal husbandry, farm book-keeping, surveying and building construction, and agricultural law, the college dealing with the course in a practical manner so that an officer will be better equipped for his daily tasks.- On the. successful conclusion of the course the college awards a diploma, which the Commissioners will accept as a test of an officer's efficiency.

14