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STAFF. Comparative Return of Persons employed in the Post and Telegraph Department on the Ist April, 1925 and 1926. The total number of persons employed on the Ist April, 1925 and 1926, was as under: — Ist April, Ist April, Permanent staff— 1925. 1926. Administrative Division .. .. .. .. 4 4 Clerical and Engineering Divisions .. .. .. 3,321 3,426 General Division .. .. .. .. .. 4,559 4,752 7,884 8,182 Temporary staff .. .. .. .. .. 306 199 Casual staff .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,194 1,025 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 10,384 9,406 Non-permanent staff — Country Postmasters and Telephonists .. .. 2,031 1,988 Postmasters who are Railway officers .. .. 99 102 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 12,514 11,496 Health op Permanent Staff. The following table gives the average absence of officers on sick-leave — Number Average Absence Average Absence on Staff. per Sick Officer. for each Officer r employed. Men .. .. .. .. 7,293 9-1 3-5 Women .. .. .. .. 889 11-9 7-5 Twenty officers died during the year. Personal. Mr. E. A. Shrimpton, M.1.E.E., Chief Telegraph Engineer, retired on the 31st March, 1926, after completing over forty-three years' service. He was succeeded by Mr. A. Gibbs, M.1.E.E., Deputy Chief Telegraph Engineer. Mr. R. D. Kelly, Chief Inspector, retired on the 6th November, 1925, after completing over fortytwo years' service. He was succeeded by Mr. M. B. Esson, Senior Inspector. Mr. F. T. R. Johnson, Controller of Savings-banks and Accounts, retired on the 22nd October, 1925, after completing over forty years' service. He was succeeded by Mr. H. D. Edwards, Assistant Controller of Savings-banks and Accounts. APPEAL BOARD. The Post and Telegraph Appeal Board, under the chairmanship of Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., sat on two occasions during the year. One hundred and six appeals were dealt with, of which one was allowed by the Board. REPRINT OF STAFF REGULATIONS. During the year the Post and Telegraph Staff Regulations were revised and reprinted, and copies were distributed to all officers, with the exception of message-boys and message-girls. AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS. From the Ist July, 1925, responsibility for the audit of accounts at chief post-offices, ledger offices, and offices of District Telegraph Engineers and Telegraph Engineers reverted to the Controller of Accounts, and the auditing will in future be carried out by officers under his control. Owing to the introduction of commercial accounts, the system of auditing was extended to include the branch accounts kept in connection with the several Engineers' districts, Stores Branches, garages, and workshops throughout the Dominion. This audit is undertaken by qualified accountants assisted by juniors who are students in accountancy. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW POSTAL DISTRICT. On the Ist July, 1925, a new postal district was established with Palmerston North as the chief post-office. By the change the Department is placed in a more advantageous position in regard to the control of the post and telegraph offices in the new district, and it is also enabled to afford a more efficient and expeditious service to the users of those offices. At the commencement- the Palmerston North District embraced 100 offices. The district comprises a portion of the Napier Postal District, a small portion of the Wanganui Postal District,

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