H.-14

6

Board of Appeal. 27. The triennial election of members to the Board of Appeal took place during the year. The following members were elected : For the Post and Telegraph Department : Mr. A. Mill (Telegraph representative), re-elected, and Mr. J. Slyfield (Postal representative). For other Departments : Mr. A. Marryatt (re-elected), and Mr. R. P. Ward. 28. Messrs. P. Barr (Chairman) and J. H. Richardson still continue as members of the Board in accordance with section 32 (a) of the Act. 29. The Board held five sessions during the year, the business dealt with being as follows : —

30. The nature of the appeals was: (1) Against non-promotion, 122; (2) against penalties imposed, 3; (3) for regrading of position, 10; (4) against salary allotted, 2; (5) for ante-dating of promotion, 6; (6) against officers transferred without promotion, 6. 31. Of the eighteen appeals allowed, eight were under heading (.1), three under heading (2), six under heading (3), and one under heading (4). The four appeals partially allowed were under heading (5). Of the total of twenty-two appeals allowed or partially allowed, ten were by consent. In two cases in which the appeals were disallowed the appellants were required to themselves bear expenses incurred in attending the hearings; in one case an appellant who did not attend personally, but who had a representative at the hearing, was required under section 31 (2) of the Act to pay costs (£1). The appeals in which the Board agreed that no ground of appeal existed included all those under heading (6). 32. Difficulty has arisen during the year owing to the operations of the Board of Appeal in connection with appeals on promotion. A case has occurred in which the Commissioner made a provisional appointment of a suitable person from outside the Service as Actuary of Friendly Societies and the National Provident Fund. An officer of the Government Insurance Department, appealed, and the Board of Appeal allowed the appeal. The appellant was appointed and instructed to report for duty, but the Department, supported by the two Ministers in charge, refused to allow him to commence duty. In due course the Ministers were informed by the Commissioner that the successful appellant must be regarded as an officer of their Departments, and that the Departments must be considered as responsible for the salary of the vacant position from the date of the decision of the Board of Appeal. Up to the time of writing the officer has not been allowed to commence duty. As the Commissioner did not select the officer, but simply carried out his statutory duty to appoint him in accordance with the decision of the Board of Appeal, and as the Ministers concerned have no doubt taken up their attitude on the ground that they arc responsible for the administration of the Departments, it will apparently require parliamentary action to settle the case. 33. The Board of Appeal, which regulates its own procedure in such matters, has adopted the course of refusing to give any -reason for its decision; so that the Commissioners and the Departments concerned are at a loss, when the Commissioner's decisions are upset, to understand wherein it is held that there has been faulty judgment on the, part of the Commissioner, fn this par-

Postal. General T Service. Telegraph. Appeals lodged Appeals withdrawn Appeals allowed Appeals partially allowed Appeals disallowed Appeals which Board agreed did not lie 42 8 2 19 13 35 4 4 4 20 72 149 8 20 12 18 4 44 83 8 24 3