11

H.—l4.

Departmental Officers on Duty Abroad. During the year the following officers proceeded abroad for the purposes stated— Aston, B. C., Chemist, Agriculture Department, Wellington : To visit South Africa and Europe for the purpose of obtaining information in connection with agricultural chemistry. Myers, J. G-., Assistant in Entomology, Biological Laboratory, Agriculture Department, Wellington: To attend Entomological Conference in London. Later proceeded to France to investigate plant parasitic diseases. Rice, W. H., Orchard Instructor, Agriculture Department, Hastings : To visit South America as representative of the Export Advisory Committee and the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation (Limited). Tennent, R. 8., Instructor in Agriculture, Agriculture Department, Dunedin: To visit America to investigate irrigation development. Marbrook, H. L., Audit Inspector, Wanganui, and D. V. Saunders, Clerk, Audit Department, Wellington : To undertake annual audit of accounts of Samoan Administration. Beck, J., Officer in Charge, Special Schools Branch, and Inspector of Industrial and Special Schools, Education Department, Wellington : To visit United States and Canada for the purpose of obtaining information regarding social-service systems. Marsden, Dr. E., Assistant Director of Education, Education Department, Wellington : To visit America in connection with school-inspection work. Strong, T. 8., Chief Inspector of Primary Schools, Education Department, Wellington : To report on educational matters in Fiji and Samoa, and to attend Intercolonial Inspectors' Conference in Brisbane. Hunter, T. A., Director, Division of Dental Hygiene, Health Department, Wellington : To proceed to Rarotonga for the purpose of reporting on dental matters in Cook Islands. Valintine, Dr. T. H. A., Director-General of Health, Wellington : To undertake a study tour in Europe at invitation of the Health Section of the League of Nations. Gunn, Dr. E. C., School Medical Officer, Health Department, Wanganui : To visit America to inquire as to the methods of the medical inspection of school-children. Clinkard, G. W., Advisory Officer, Industries and Commerce Department, Wellington : To visit Australia in connection with Government transactions in wheat. Gribben, Dr. St. L. H., Superintendent, Prisons Department, Waikeria : To attend Prisons Conference in England and to visit institutions in Great Britain. Marks, J. R., District Engineer, Public Works Department, Dunedin : To visit America to investigate irrigation development. McKenzie, C. J., Assistant Engineer-in-Chief, Public Works Department, Wellington : To visit United States of America on departmental business. Amendments to General Regulations. During the year the principal amendments were as follows Regulation 56 : Providing that applications for leave to attend compulsory camps and compulsory courses of military instruction should be referred to the Commissioner for approval. Regulation 128 : Authorizing the Commissioner to grant a lump sum in lieu of payment of the actual cost of the removal of an officer's furniture and effects. >|| Regulation 5 150 : Providing that temporary workmen in the Defence Department may be engaged or discharged by the Adjutant-General. Regulation 161 : Providing that, except in special cases, the maximum age for candidates for appointment to cadetships in the Clerical Division shall be eighteen years. Regulation 164: Specifying the conditions governing the appointment of candidates to clerical cadetships. Regulations 177, 178, 178 a, 179, 180, and 181 : Amending the syllabus for the Public Service Entrance Examination. Regulation 212 Providing that officers of the Public Service who are required' to "attend camps and courses of military instruction may have the option of receiving either departmental or Territorial pay, whichever is the greater, but may not receive both. Regulations Be, 109, 117, 201, 209, 213, and 214 : Preserving the same relative rates of payment as existed prior to the adoption of new salary scales in connection with 1924 regrading. Regulation 4 of the special regulations relating to the examination of draughtsmen of the Lands and Survey Department was also amended to bring the salary barriers into line with the new scale. The Stores Regulations under the Public Service Act were revoked, also the Stores Regulations (Departmental Property).