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This was done. In another case the Board agreed with the decision of the Department, but recommended the promotion of the officer when a suitable vacancy occurred. In four cases the Board did not make a recommendation. One appeal was withdrawn. Classification. By Order in Council of the sth September, 1911, counter clerks and despatch clerks, in order to qualify for promotion to the Sixth Class, were required to pass either the Senior Technical Examination or the Second Examination (Postal General), and senior and second telephone-exchange clerks at the principal centres the Senior Technical Examination. - By Order in Council of the 20th November, 19] 1, regulations were made prescribing the syllabus of examinations for entrance to the Engineering Branch of the Department. By Order in Council of the 22nd December, 1911, the double increment granted to officers passing the Senior Examination prescribed by classification regulations was made to apply to all officers in the Clerical Division below the Sixth Class. Previously this form of reward was confined to officers of the Seventh and Eighth Classes. Departmental Correspondence Classes. Correspondence classes for the instruction of officers of the Department in technical telegraphy and telephony, and in subjects of the Civil Service Senior and Junior Examinations and Sixth Standard, were inaugurated in 1910. These classes are of great value to officers in helping them to pass efficiency examinations and to qualify for promotion. Under the correspondence system, officers in the country enjoy the same opportunities for tuition as are enjoyed, by their fellow-officers in towns. Tuition by correspondence is especially suitable for officers working irregular hours, as it enables them to study at a time convenient to themselves, and there is no necessity to miss a lesson through inability to attend at any particular place or time. Papers are set weekly, and these limit the amount of matter to the capacity of the average student. The answering of questions on paper induces close reading by concentrating the attention on certain definite points, the subject being thus more thoroughly assimilated. It has been found that many promising candidates fail to do themselves justice at examinations through nervousness, inability to clearly express their ideas on paper, or the misreading of questions, and that tuition by correspondence increases the confidence of the student because it accustoms him to conditions similar to those of an examination. Corrected answer-papers bearing necessary comments or instruction are returned to the student; and the student is at liberty to ask questions without limit. The fee for each course is the nominal amount of 10s. 6d. The classes have been largely taken advantage of, the number of students for the two years 1910 and 1911 being 902 —450 technical and 452 general. The classes in telegraphy and telephony are conducted by technical officers of the Department, and the Civil Service and Sixth Standard classes by a State-school teacher. The expenditure incurred by the Department, it is expected, will be fully warranted by the increased efficiency of officers Electric-lighting Licenses. By the Public Works Amendment Act, 1911, the granting of electric-lighting licenses was transferred from the Post and Telegraph Department to the Public Works Department. Money-orders. A new class of money-orders,, to be known as " domestic money-orders," was introduced on the Ist June, 1912. These money-orders may be obtained at any money-order office, and may be made payable at the home or place of business of any person residing at places .within the Dominion where a regular delivery is made by letter-carrier. The maximum amount for which domestic moneyorders may be issued is £5, and the commission payable is 4d., which includes the delivery fee. It is believed that the system will be a great convenience-to the wives of working-men and to others who find it difficult to go to the post-office during office-hours to obtain payment. Penny Postage. The principle of penny postage continues to spread. The Postmaster-General of Southern Rhodesia in his annual report for 1909 states that in his opinion the moment has arrived for introducing penny postage from that territory to all parts of the British Empire. As the result of representations by New Zealand, the postage on lettersjfrom New Zealand to French Oceania was from the 6th January, 1912, reduced to Id. per ounce. As soon as certain diplomatic arrangements are completed letters from French Oceania to New Zealand will also be sent at the penny rate. On the Ist May, 1911, Australia and Rhodesia reduced the postage rates on letters for the rest of the British Empire to Id. per J oz. ; so that the only places not yet included in the Imperial pennypostage system are a few remote islands in the Pacific. Postage Rates. Representations to the General Post Office, London, with the object of securing a reduction in the postage on newspapers from the United Kingdom to New Zealand were unsuccessful.. Post and Telegraph Amendment Act, 1911. .... By the Post.and Telegraph Amendment Act, 1911, power was given to.the Governor by Order in Council to make regulations prescribing the documents on which an impression indicating a stamp