15

H.—l4

Early this year Government decided to create a general Stores Control Board, and steps were taken to give effect to the proposal. Up to the present, however, nothing definite has been done, and neither the Board nor the regulations under which they will work has yet been set up. It is confidently expected that the establishment of such a Board will effect considerable savings by the standardization of articles in common use, and the better terms which may be expected from the concentration of orders, instead of the present system of Departments often competing one against the other for the same class of material. The want of trained stores officers is felt in several Departments, and it would appear that this defect is partly due to the fact that responsible officers hesitate to agree to take on cadets in this branch, the result being that stores officers are largely recruited from outside sources. When the new Stores organization proposal reaches a satisfactory stage it is hoped that by a closer degree of co-operation there will be better facilities for training stores officers within the Departments concerned. Costing Systems. There is room for further advancement in respect to the costing of various operations carried on by Departments. It is authoritatively recognized that costing correctly done is of valued assistance to the general oversight of the particular operation costed. In some Departments costing is done to a limited extent, but with the advent of commercial revenue accounts, profit and loss accounts, and balance-sheets it is recognized that the further scope and use for costing will quickly make itself felt. The necessity for reconciling the various costing operations with the financial accounts must, of course, be impressed on the accounting officers, and it is hoped by this means to eliminate avenues of waste that may otherwise remain undetected. Examinations held during the Year. The examinations conducted during the year under the Public Service Regulations have been the usual Entrance Examination, special examinations for Publk Service Entrance, the Public Service Senior Examination, and examinations for admission of shorthand-typists and typists. Senior and Entrance Examinations. The Public Service Senior Examination, held between the sth and 18th January last, was conducted under regulations which came into force on the Ist April, 1915. The only candidates admitted were returned soldiers and those who, having entered for the examination in the previous year, had partial passes to cpmplete. Of the 102 candidates thus admitted seventy-eight actually presented themselves in the examination-room, and forty-six were successful in improving their status, and are now recorded, in conjunction with earlier successes (if any), as having passed as follows : Passed the whole examination, thirty-two ; gained further success towards the completion of the examination, fourteen. Only returned soldiers who were unable to complete the Public Service Senior Examination earlier will be given a final opportunity of completing the examination in January, 1922. The Public Service Entrance Examination was conducted at fifty-three centres between the 22nd and 29th November, 1920. The number of candidates entered was 1,076, as compared with 1,100 for the previous year. Of the total 1,045 were present at the examination, and 582 passed. In view of the shortage of boys, following the practice of the previous year, it was decided to hold a special Public Service Entrance Examination from the 29th June to the sth July, 1920. There were 206 entries distributed over twenty centres, and all except three presented themselves. There were 130 passes at this examination. Both the ordinary and the special examinations were open to all candidates, both boys and girls, who expressed their intention of entering the Public Service if successful. On the 28th and 29th June, 1920, a special Public Service Entrance Examination was conducted by the Director of the Wellington Technical College, for