H.—l4

14

Post and Telegraph Department. 79. The classified staff on the following dates was— , T , Amount. Number. c Ist April, 1913 ... ... ... 5,372 708,165 1914 ... ... ... 5,633 761,365 1915 ... ... ... 5,958 824,242 1916 ... ... ... 6,441 885,927 1917 ... ... ... 6,956 970,641 80. The increase as at the Ist April, 1917, over the preceding year, £84,714, includes £34,094, the salaries of temporary employees made permanent and formerly paid out of other appropriations than salaries, leaving £50,620 additional to be provided for. The expansion of the business of the Department required an increase to the staff of 197 officers in addition to temporary employees made permanent. 81. The average salary for the year ending 31st March, 1918, for adult male officers is £173-02, for adult female officers £117-75, for all female officers £110-5; and for the whole staff, including 887 telegraph-messenger boys at £40 per annum each, and excluding the Administrative Division, is £139-54. 82. The classification increments provided on the Ist April, 1917, represent £57,547, as against £54,480 for the preceding year. 83. It is estimated, as at Ist April, 1917, that classified salaries will be underspent by approximately £325,000 for all Departments, including the Post and Telegraph, owing to the absence of officers at the war; but it will be necessary to set against tliis an expenditure estimated at £220,000 for permanent and temporary assistance other than that supplied to the Defence Department for its special work. All of which is humbly submitted for Your Excellency's consideration. D. Robertson, Commissioner. R. Triggs, ] A ■ , , n A. D. Thomson, ( Assistant Commissioners. Office of the Public Service Commissioner, Wellington, 30th June, 1917.

Note. —Owing to the need for conserving stocks of paper several tables are not printed.