11

H.—l4

have been granted leave' of absence to enable them to take up duty with the Administrations named : —

LEiVVE of Absence for Educational and Training Purposes. During the year a number of officers have been granted leave to enable them to take engineering and science courses at universities, the officers in question returning to their Departments during the college vacation. The following officers have also been granted extended leave for the purpose of taking courses abroad :— Smith, F. (Agriculture Department) : Agricultural research, Canada. Hopkirk, C. S. M. (Agriculture Department): Veterinary science, Melbourne. Foster, F. W. (Customs) : Forestry, Edinburgh. Robertson, W. (Public Works) : Civil engineering, Birmingham. An arrangement was made whereby Boarding-out Officers and Visiting Nurses of the Education Department were sent to the Karitane Hospital for training as Plunket Nurses; but, owing to the need for economy, this course, although desirable, was discontinued. For some time past District Nurses of the Health Department have, as opportunity offers, been receiving midwifery training at one of the St. Helens Hospitals to enable them to qualify as midwives. Retirement of Officers. During the last few months a considerable number of officers have been compulsorily retired. In most cases the officers have been entitled to a pension, but in a few cases no pension or retiring-allowance was due. The principle followed is that in cases where it has been found there is a " surplus " staff, those officers whose services can best be spared, with the least hardship to the individual officers concerned, are retired. In cases, however, in which officers have been reported as unsatisfactory, and in others where their services have not been required, there has been no hesitancy in terminating their services. It has been amply demonstrated that the efficiency in certain Departments has increased considerably owing to the action taken. As referred to elsewhere, the vacancies have been filled by rearrangement of staff, and the utilizing of the services of cadets who have in the past been appointed for training. Retirement of Principal Officers. "> A number of important changes have occurred in Departments owing to the retirement of Administrative and Departmental Heads.

Administration. Name. Department from which loaned. Samoa Indian Government Cook Islands Oordery, H. S. ; Halliday, H. L. ; Stevens, A. 0. Beagle'hole, E. W. Greening, Miss L. C. Buchanan, J. W. ; Walker, Miss V. M. .♦. Craig, Miss, G. ; Clark, L. II. V. ; McKay, C. G. R. Adams, E. C. Packer, F. W. Briggs, W. H. ; Crawford, J. ; Lofiey, W. G., Neilson, D. I. M. ; Rogers, J. ; Spencer, H. N. ; Sutherland, A. S. ; Tyndall, A. Lewis, A. P. ; McCurdy, D. A. ; Taylor, A. B. Wigley, A. J. .. McMahon-Box, J. P. . . Morris, G. N. .. .'. Luckham, A. A. Granger, P. Toms, E. Steere, H. C. .. Russell, G.J... Herd, T. R. .. Customs. Education. External Affairs. Health. Internal Affairs. Land and Deeds. Native. Public Works. Treasury. Public Works. Customs. Justice. Prisons. Agriculture. Treasury. Audit. Valuation. Customs. High Commissioner's Office