E.—9

STAFF. 29. The following were the principal staff appointments during the year ended 31st March, 1931 :— (a) Mr. W. M. Barr, Chief Accountant, to the position of Assistant Public Trustee, vice Mr. H. Turner, appointed Under-Secretary of Defence. (b) Mr. F. Menneer, Assistant Chief Accountant, to the position of Chief Accountant. (c) Mr. 0. W. Bamfield, Third Assistant District Public Trustee, Wellington, to the position of District Public Trustee, Te Aroha. (d) Mr. J. C. Robins, District Manager, Stratford, to the position of District Public Trustee, Stratford. (e) Mr. H. V. Uren, Estates Administration Clerk, Christchurch, to the position of District Manager, Balclutha. (/) Mr. I. D. Shearer, Estates Administration Clerk, Hamilton, to the position of District Manager, Rotorua. (g) Mr. H. J. Craig, Estates Administration Clerk, Auckland, to the position of District Manager, Pukekohe. (h) Mr. H. E. Amyes, Estates Administration Clerk, Hamilton, to the position of District Manager, Cambridge. (i) Mr. A. S. Newland, Clerk, Dunedin, to the position of District Manager, Taumarunui. (j) Mr. J. E. Stokes, Clerk, Christchurch, to the position of District Manager, Westport. (k) Mr. F. L. Barr, District Manager, Balclutha, to the position of District Manager, Oamaru. Qualifications op Officers. 30. The junior members of the staff of the Office continue to show a keen interest in their work and in the studies which they are undertaking to fit themselves to carry out their duties more efficiently. In almost every case juniors are engaged in the study of law, accountancy, or commerce. There are now attached to the Office staff 120 officers who have passed the Law Professional Examination, a number of these also being qualified as barristers. In addition, 93 officers have passed the Accountant's Professional Examination, 3 of whom have graduated in commerce. Officers deceased. 31. It is with regret that I have to record the deaths of the following officers : — Mr. 0. E. Bowling, Assistant Solicitor, Head Office (17th March, 1931) : Mr. Bowling, who had completed nearly thirty-three years in the Government service, of which the last twelve years had been in the service of the Public Trust Office, was an officer of exceptional ability and one widely respected by all members of the legal profession. Qualified as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court, he had for many years specialized in the Workers' Compensation Act and the Deaths by Accident legislation, and he was in charge of this important part of the Office work. During the course of his duties he was brought into touch with the poorer members of the community, by whom his sympathetic work and the consideration which he invariably showed for their needs were greatly appreciated. Mr. A. Marshall, District Accountant, Dunedin (18th October, 1930) : At the time of his death Mr. Marshall had been in the employment of the Office for nineteen years, latterly occupying the positions of District Public Trustee, Whangarei, 1920-28, and District Accountant, Dunedin, from 1928 until the time of his death. Mr. J. McMullan, Clerk, Blenheim (12th April, 1930) : Mr. McMullan had been an officer of the Department for nearly eleven years, and was at the time of his death a clerk in the Blenheim Branch of the Office.

2—B. 9.

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