H.—l4

11

Post and Telegraph Efficiency Examinations. 58. The number of officers who sat for the efficiency examinations during the year 1916-17 was 910. Of this number, 6T5 (65 per cent.) were successful either wholly or partially. Details are as follows : — Passed (wholly -.^ or partially). Cadets, Telegraph ... ... ... 59 1 Cadets, Technical ... ... ... 80 29 Cadets, Sorting-test ... ... ... 13 5 Postal Efficiency ... ... ... 245 284 First (Telegraph, General) ... ... 31 Junior Despatch Clerks ... ... 3 Despatch and Counter Clerks' First ... 4 Letter-carriers' Sorter ... ... ... 1 Oral Test, ... ... ... ... 147 Telephone-exchange Clerks' First ... 4 Telephone-exchange Clerks' Technical ... 3 Senior Technical ... ... ... 14 5 Engineering (parts of) ... ... 11 1 Training of Officers. 59. Departmental Correspondence Classes. —The correspondence classes for the instruction of officers of the Post and Telegraph Department in technical telegraphy and telephony, and in subjects of the Public Service Senior and Junior Examinations and Sixth Standard, which were inaugurated in 1910, were successfully continued during the year. The number of students for the years 1910 to 1916 was 2,629 (1,129 technical and 1,500 general). It has been decided to discontinue the classes for the period of the war. 60. Tuition of Young Women in Telegraphy. —During the year classes were opened by the Post and Telegraph Department at the four chief centres for the tuition of young women in telegraphy. The result has been entirely satisfactory, 113 having already completed the course and taken up practical work in telegraph-offices. 61. Shorthand and Typewriting. —Owing to the urgent demand for short-hand-writers and typists in Wellington, and on account of the difficulty of obtaining suitable applicants for employment, it was found necessary during the year to commence classes of shorthand and typewriting in the Public Service Commissioner's Office with a view of training suitable candidates who are desirous of taking up these classes and employment in the Public Service. The necessity for opening the class became an urgent matter owing to the unwillingness of qualified applicants of other centres to come to Wellington and on account of the dearth in Wellington. The class, which was only commenced at the beginning of this year, has proved a success. Attendance of Officers. 62. Attention has been drawn in previous reports to the importance of officers being regular and punctual in their attendance. While the Commissioners acknowledge that there has been a considerable improvement, information received from time to time indicates that in some Departments the necessity for punctuality is not seriously observed. Health of Staff. 63. The following table gives the average absence of officers on sickleave : —

Number of Officers on Staff, 30/11/16. Number of Officer-) absent; during the Year. Number of Days Officers absent. Average Average Number of Absence for Number Days each the whole of Officer absent Staff Deaths. siok. (in Days). lale 11,120 1,995 3,099 994 46,329 18,127 15 5 84* 18 9 7 'emale Totals .. 13,115 4,093 64,456 16 5 91 * Inoludes 25 officers killed or died >f wounds whili it serving wit! the Expeditionary Forces.