EL—l4

13

Section 14 of the Education Amendment Act, 1919, p>. .. /ided that Inspectors of Schools shall be deemed to be permanent officers of the Public Service. Section 2 of the Prisons Amendment Act, 1919, provided for the appointment of a Controller-General of Prisons. Under the External Affairs Act, 1919, the Secretary and staff attached to the Department were to be regarded as permanent officers of the Public Service. Section 2 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1919, made provision for the appointment of a Land Purchase Controller. Section 11 of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1919, made provision for the appointment of officers to be known as Supervisors of Settlement. Section 2 of the Public Trust Office Amendment Act, 1919, provided for the appointment of more than four Local Deputy Public Trustees. Under section 13 of the Appropriation Act, 1919, the period during which consideration may be given, in deciding the promotion of officers, to the examinations passed by them was extended to the 31st March, 1920. Section 17 of the Appropriation Act, 1919, authorized payment in respect of services rendered to the Government by persons in receipt of retiring-allowances under the Public Service Classification and Superannuation Act, 1908. Section 41 of the Appropriation Act, 1919, provided for the granting of special increments to officers of the Public Service on grounds of special merit and ability. Section 42 of the same Act made provision for extending (for the purposes of the 1919 regrading) the maximum salary prescribed for any class by an amount not exceeding £20 in each case. Section 44 of the same Act made provision for the payment of superannuation contributions on payments made by way of bonus or grants for special services to Private Secretaries to Ministers of the Crown. Amendments to General Regulations. During the year the principal amendments were as follows : — Regulations 8, 10, and 13 : In connection with the hours of attendance of officers. Regulation 8e : Increasing the rate of overtime to certain officers. Regulation 22 : Providing that the temporary transfer of officers from one branch of a Department to another by the Permanent Head shall not be continued for a longer period than twenty-eight days without the consent of the Commissioner. Regulation 163 (a) : Prescribing the conditions under which an officer of the General Division may be transferred to the Seventh Class of the Clerical Division. Regulation 173 : Reducing the late fee for the Public Service Entrance Examination from £l to 10s. Regulation 178 (a) : Prescribing the subjects to be taken at the Public Service Entrance Examination for candidates for appointment as Junior Draughtsmen. Regulation 181 : Amending the syllabus for the Public Service Entrance Examination. Regulation 197 : Providing that officers in the Clerical Division shall not receive a salary exceeding £180 until they have passed a practical test in the subjects prescribed. Regulation 201 Providing that officers who have not passed the Senior Examination or its equivalent may now proceed to a salary of £300 instead of £260. Regulation 202 : Providing that officers who have had active service overseas and who have passed an examination in the work of the Department shall be deemed to have passed the equivalent of the Senior Examination. Regulation 209 : Providing that where the performance of the duties of a higher class by an officer has been intermittent and amounts to four months during the then current financial year, an allowance may be