H.—l4.

overseas, 174 are serving on home service, and 590 are awaiting for service in the Army, Air Force, or Navy. In addition to these numbers, approximately 1,950 employees have been balloted for Territorial service. Many of these had previously volunteered for overseas service, but had been rejected for various reasons. There would, however, be approximately a further 400 officers continually undergoing Territorial training. The tasks allotted to public servants have naturally not decreased during the period of war. Such Departments as the Army, Air, and Navy have, of necessity, had to add very considerably to their pre-war establishment. The National Service Department and the Pay Accounts and Base Records Branch of the Army Department are new organizations which have grown out of the war. Although numerically the bulk of the staff for such Departments may be temporary employees, it is essential that the executive officers and those forming the framework of the new organization should be established public servants. The withdrawal of these officers from their parent Departments has increased the burden carried by all officers. With pleasure I am able to record that officers have without exception risen to the additional tasks allotted to them and willingly shouldered increasing responsibilities. The withdrawal of trained personnel has been met by the engagement of— (a) All qualified applicants for cadetships : (b) Many efficient male clerks, particularly in Wellington : (c) Female office-assistants, either with or without experience. To obtain qualified female office-assistants it was found necessary to advertise throughout the Dominion. Generally speaking, it can be said that the appointees are doing a wonderful work, and from the war-effort point of view their response is a very worthy one as they have without doubt assisted in the release of many male employees at present overseas. The extent to which women have been utilized to meet staff shortages and the demands of additional work is illustrated by the fact that as at Ist April, 1939, there were 2,013 temporary female shorthand-typists and office-assistants, whereas on Ist April, 1941, there were 3,473 employed, an increase of 1,460 employees. Regrading op the Public Service. The last general regrading of the Public Service took place in 1937. Normally there would be a regrading next year. In effect, a regrading amounts to a stocktaking as to the relative value of the duties of officers —i.e., whether such duties have increased or decreased in importance since the last general regrading. As so many officers are absent from the Dominion, whilst others are engaged on purely war-time activities, and the peace-time importance of d uties has in many cases been thrown out of focus by war conditions, I am of the opinion that the regrading of the Public Service due next year should be postponed until the end of the war. Administrative Changes. Army Department.—Mr. F. B. Dwyer was appointed Army Secretary on Ist January,' 1941, in succession to Mr. H. Turner, who retired. Public Trust Department. —Mr. C. J. Playne was appointed Assistant Public Trustee on Ist June, 1940, an. office exempt from the provisions of the Public Service Act, vice Mr. W. M. Barr, retired. Public Works Department. —Mr. W. L. Newnham, A.M.1.C.E., was appointed Engineer-in-Chief and Under-Secretary on Ist March, 1941, vice Mr. J. Wood, M.1.C.E., who retired. National Service Department.—Mr. J. S. Hunter, Director (Unemployment and Sickness Benefits), Social Security Department, was seconded to the National Service Department as Director on Ist August, 1940.

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