H.—l4

8

33. Except in the case of the New Zealand Public Service, the scales above provide for a straight run to £300 by the increments shown. Before an officer can receive over £270 in the New Zealand Public Service it is necessary that he should be promoted to the Sixth Class, which commences at £240 and rises to £300. The overlap of £260 and £270 in the Seventh Class is designed to meet the case of officers who, from one cause or another, fail to obtain promotion earlier. Officers promoted to vacancies in the Sixth Class will commence at £240 or £260 and rise by steps of £280 and £300 to the maximum of Class VI. In the case of deserving officers the New Zealand scale will enable officers to reach £300 somewhat earlier than the other scales shown. 34. No change was authorized by Parliament to be made in the scale for the Professional Division, but, in the event of the scale for the Clerical Division for the whole of the Government services being provided by Act, the Commissioners recommend that the special scale for the Professional Division be abolished, and the scale established for the Clerical Division made common to both divisions, with such provision as may be deemed necessary for allowing professional officers to overleap one or more steps in each class. 35. In the scale as drafted provision was made for power to be given to the authority concerned to grant more than one increment at a time to officers of exceptional merit, but the Law Office advised that this would be ultra vires. Government has, however, promised that legislation will be introduced to meet this requirement, which has always been a necessary one and is now more necessary than before. Evasions of the Public Service Act. 36. A bonus was recommended to two officers of the Labour Department by the Permanent Head for work done for the Repatriation Board. Payment wasactually made without reference to the Commissioner. Authority was subsequently asked for, but declined, as the automatic approval of such a bonis already paid would be contrary to the spirit of the Public Service Act. 37. Some temporary clerks have been engaged by Departments without the provisions of the Act being complied with. These cases have been suitably noticed. In two cases the circumstances were such that the Commissioner refused to approve the appointment. 38. One person was engaged without the authority of the Commissioner at a salary of £300 per annum. After he had commenced work the Commissioner was asked to approve the appointment, which was declined, as the provisions of the Act had not been complied with. It is understood that the case was met by the Department concerned making a contract for the particular work to be performed for a lump sum, payable monthly. Payments for Special Services. 39. For the past three years a sum has been appropriated by Parliament under the heading " Grants for Special Services," and a clause has appeared in the Appropriation Act providing that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Public Service Act, 1912, or any other Act, there may be paid to officers by way of bonus or grants for special services such sums as may be appropriated for those services by Parliament. Amounts have also been appropriated under another heading as war bonus. The clause in the Appropriation Act would seem to indicate that the expression " bonus " referred to the amounts specifically appropriated under the heading of " War Bonus," and that the appropriation grants for special services referred definitely to special services rendered. 40. On the first occasion the vote " Grants for Special Services " was utilized principally for payments to officers whose salaries or other emoluments were not under the control of the Public Service Commissioner, and the wording of the clause in the Appropriation Act was understood to be to ('liable payments to be made to one or more officers who were prevented by law from receiving any allowances other than salaries provided by the Acts under which they were appointed. The vote for last year and the preceding year was given a more