13

H.—l4

81. Under section 18 of the same Act there may, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Public Service Act, be paid to officers by way of bonus or grants for special services such sums as may be appropriated by Parliament. 82. Under section 29 of the same Act the first general regrading of the Public Service is postponed until the expiration of seven years after the first grading, and no special regrading of any position to which a salary in excess of £260 is attached can be made until the additional cost has been voted by Parliament. Holidays in the Public Service. 83. The National Efficiency Board recently brought under notice of Government the desirability of lessening the number of holidays observed in the Public Service. However desirable it would be to cease observing the holidays which are, as a rule, observed only by the Public Service, banks, insurance companies, and legal practitioners, it is considered that the matter is one which would be more effectively dealt with by legislation than by regulation—if possible, in the direction of fixing standard holidays which could be observed by the community generally. 84. Owing to shortage of staffs, and the doubt whether it would be possible to allow the usual leave of absence, it was decided to close as many offices as possible, for a period ranging from ten to fourteen days, in the Christmas and New Year weeks. No inconvenience appears to have been caused to the public by this arrangement. • Movement of Staff. Departments other than Post and Telegraph. 85. The classified staff on the following dates was, — Number. Am ° unt " Ist April, 1913 .. .. .. 4,641 874,437 1914 .. .. ..5,095 953,343 1915 .. .. ..5,613 1,098,960 1916 .. .. .. 5,985 1,158,949 „ . 1917 .. .. .. 6,217 1,208,979 1918 .. .. .. 6,282 1,231,433 86. Of the increase of £356,996 since the Ist April, 1913, £96,856 is accounted for by temporary officers made permanent (£76,275) the nationalization of School Inspectors (£20,581), and £27,209 converted emoluments. In the figures quoted there is not taken into account overlapping increases under classification which fall due at other dates during the financial year. These will, in effect, reduce the amount actually required. 87. The classification increases provided on the Ist April, 1918, amount to £46,595, as against £45,621 in the preceding year. 88. The average salaries at the following dates were, — £ Ist April, 1913 . . . . . . . . . . 188 1914 .. . . . . .. .. 187 1915 .. .. .. .. .. 195* 1916 . . . . . . . . .. 194 1917 . . . . . . . . .. 194 1918 .. . . .. .. ..196 89. The Native-school teachers are not included in the foregoing. They were on — Number. Am ° unt ' lßt April, 1914 .. .. .. ..241 26,861 ~ 1915 (including nine vacancies) . . 256 34,875| 1916 .. .. .. ..256 36,618 1917 .. .. .. ..247 35,723 1918 .. .. .. ..238 35,707 * Converted emoluments account for £4 18s. of this increase. "f Includes £2,940, value of converted emoluments.