F.-l

14

Staff. Comparative Return of Officers of the Post and Telegraph Department for the Years ended 31st March, 1918, and 31st March, 1919. The total number of officers on the station the 31st March, 1918 and 1919, was as under:— 31st March, 31st Maroh, 1918. 1919. Postmaster-General .;. ... ... ... 1 1 Classified staff— Permanent— Administrative Division ... ... ... 3 4 Professional Division ... ... ... 38 33 Clerical Division ... ... ... ... 3,163 3,601 General Division ... ... ... ... 3,464 3,722 Temporary— Night-watchmen ... ... ... ... 2 2 Postmistresses and assistants ... ... 164 188 Switchboard attendants ... ... ... 520 313 Note-sorters, distributors, &c. ... ... 146 66 Postmen, messengers, and chauffeurs ... 306 331 Night telephonists ... ... ... * ... 50 65 Total, classified staff ... ... 8,157 8,325 Employees not on classified staff— Country Postmasters and Postmistresses ... 2,303 2,280 Postmasters and telegraphists or telephonists who are Railway officers ... ... ... 140 143 Total ... ... ... ... 10,600 10,748 Health of Permanent Staff. The following table gives the average absence of officers on sick-leave :—<• Number Average Absence Average Abwiiue on Staff. per sfck Officer. for eac , h °f ver c employed. Days. Days. Men ... ... ... 6,306 1893 11-84 Women ... ... ... 954 24-87 20-11 Fifty-six officers died during the year, exclusive of casualties in the Expeditionary Force. Personal and Staff. At the New Year Mr. W. R. Morris, Secretary of the Department, previously appointed to be a Companion of the Imperial Service Order, was appointed to be a, Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George for valuable services rendered to the New Zealand Government. Mr. F. V. Waters, First Assistant Secretary of the Department, died in November, 1918. Mr. Waters had served the Department for over forty-four years. He was succeeded by Mr. It. B. Morris, Chief Inspector, and Mr. Morris was succeeded by Mr. J. C. Williamson, Chief Postmaster, Auckland. . Mr. E. A. Shrimpton, DistrictjTelegraph Engineer, Wellington, was appointed Chief Telegraph Engineer for the Dominion, in succession to Mr. J. Orchiston (retired). Mr. Timothy Buckley, who filled the position of Chief Electrician of the Department for many years, and subsequently that of Director of Telephone Services, was at the end of the year on leave prior to his retirement on superannuation in August, 1919. Mr. G. B. Dall, Assistant Secretary of the Department, was appointed Inspector of Army Postal Services, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He left New Zealand in October, 1.918, to take up his duties. Reclassification of Staff. An important event in the history of the Department was the passing of the Post and Telegraph Department Act, 1918. It was recognized by Government that the schedules of salaries of officers provided in 1912 by the Public Service Act were out of date. This was principally so by reason of the great increase in the cost of living, an increase not adequately met by the granting of a war bonus to officers with small salaries. The cessation of hostilities was not followed by any decline in the high cost of living, and the need of better provision for the remuneration of officers became pressing. The new Act, which conies into force on the Ist April, 1919, provides for salaries and allowances to be prescribed by regulation. This method of prescribing salaries enables changes to be made from time to time as circumstances require without waiting for legislation. The first salary regulation under the Act will provide a higher scale of salaries than has ever previously been paid in the Department. Provision is made under the Act for the exclusion of the Department from the Public Service Act, except that the appointments and promotions of officers will be approved by the Public Service Commissioner. The only appointments not requiring the approval of the Commissioner are those of the. Secretary, the Chief Telegraph Engineer, the First Assistant Secretary, and the Second Assistant Secretary. These officers will be appointed by the Governor-General. The Postmaster-General is responsible for the administration of the Department, and his right to the control of the appointments