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is to retain the officers with best brains, and there is a need in the Public Service for the most able men available. The Superannuation Act, 1946, will be a factor in retaining officers in the Service in that it provides for widows to receive half of their late husbands' superannuation allowance (or, where an officer dies, half of the allowance he would have received if he had retired instead of dying). Beyond doubt, the best way to staff the Public Service is to appoint young men and women of good character and education who wish to make a career in the Service. There will, of course, always be a number of important positions that can be filled only by adults with professional and technical qualifications; and, in the interests both of the Public Service and of the community it serves, we are eager to keep the way of entry open to talent at all stages ; yet the broad generalization in favour of recruiting young persons is surely valid. That is why the Commission has paid particular attention to the recruiting and training of juniors. For the past thirty years the Clerical Division of the Public Service was closed to females, a discrimination which, with the approval of the Government, has this year been ended. A special representative of the Commission has travelled throughout New Zealand and has done good work in making known the possibilities of careers in the Public Service. The main " recruiting season " for juniors follows the November examinations and the close of the school year. The total clerical Cadets appointed in the period January, 1948, to May, 1948, was 428, including 133 girls; the total for the year 1947 was 244, all boys. This is a satisfactory increase, though it still is far short of requirements. The effect of the depression drop in the birth-rate seventeen years ago is still shown in the total of young persons in New Zealand, and this will not be corrected until the early " fifties." The needs of the teaching service, and the attractions of other relatively well-paid jobs, will still limit what can be done for the Public Service. SHORTHAND-TYPISTS, TYPISTS, AND MACHINISTS The number of applicants for these positions in towns other than Wellington is reasonably satisfactory, but the shortage in Wellington is still acute. An improved salary scale has assisted recruitment, and some relief has followed the appointment of qualified women from the United Kingdom. Frequently competent shorthand-typists, capable of holding responsible positions, are unwilling to apply for promotion to Wellington, even when hostel accommodation can be provided. Tedious repetitive work should be done by machines if they can be used economically, and Departments are encouraged to use them, but they are an embarrassment if machinists are not available for their operation. Recently a training school for machinists was set up, and there has been a good response from young women. . TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES The task of appointing suitable temporary employees to the permanent staff in terms of the Public Service Amendment Act, 1946, is almost finished. The work was done in three stages : (a) First, attention was paid to the positions above the " basic grade." After the Commission was satisfied that they were permanent, and had fixed the appropriate salary, nearly 2,000 were advertised within the Public Service. Approximately 6,000 employees submitted applications. Decisions were announced in December, 1947, and January, 1948. (b) Early in March, 1948, the Commission notified the permanent appointment of approximately 700 shorthand-typists, typists, and machinists. (c) By the end of March, 1948, nearly all Departments had been notified of the permanent appointment of temporary employees in " basic grade " positions, and generally were notified by a special Official Circular dated 10th May, 1948, which contained approximately 7,200 names.

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