11

F.—l.

EXAMINATIONS. The number of officers who entered for departmental efficiency examinations held during the year was 1,812. The candidates who were either wholly or partially successful numbered 959. BUILDINGS. During the year buildings were erected as follows :— Post-office buildings— Herekino. Tokoroa. Hinds. Waikaia. Te Akau. Waverley. (The building at Tokoroa was erected by the local settlers, half the cost being borne by the Department.) Garages— Dunedi'n. *Tokomaru Bay. Featherston. Waipu (old stable converted). Henderson (movable type). *Waipukurau. Lumsden (small shed converted). * Waverley. Papakura (additional). Increased or improved accommodation for departmental purposes has been provided at the following places : — Ashburton. Mokauiti. Ashhurst. Ohinewai. Auckland (central telephone exchange, Papakura. Wellesley Street). Paparoa. Avondale. Pembroke. Gore. Te Teko. Hanmer Springs. Waikanae. Hawera. Walton. Kaponga. Waipukurau. Matamata. Wellington (Radio). Milton. Wellington (Savings-bank Branch, C.P.0.). The following works are in progress : — Greymouth (addition and alterations). Mercer (new post-office building). Napier (new chief post-office building). Ohakune (garage and store, and accommodation for " carrier current " telephone equipment). Rotorua (addition and alterations). Shirley (new post-office building). The erection of new post-office buildings at the following places has been authorized :— Courtenay Place (Wellington). New Lynn. Cust. Northcote. Dunedin. Palmerston (South). High Street (Christchurch). Additions and alterations at the following places have been authorized :— Cromwell. Newton. Invercargill. Wairoa. Masterton. Whangarei. Nelson. Sites. —A site for a post-office building was purchased at Grey Lynn, and sites for storage purposes were bought at Invercargill and Palmerston North. Additional land for the post-office site at Hastings was taken in March, 1928, under the Public Works Act. Agreement as to compensation has not yet been reached. The purchase has been authorized of a post-office site at Birkenhead, and storage sites at Dannevirke and Gisborne. A lease was entered into with the Railway Department for the use of an area of land at Newmarket, with buildings thereon. It is intended to use the buildings as workshops, &c. In the report for the year 1924-25 reference was made to an exchange of real estate between Government and the Auckland City Council which resulted in the transfer to the Council of the Auckland East (Shortland Street) Post-office building and site. Owing to difficulties which subsequently arose, and on which agreement has not been reached, the exchange has not yet been effected.

* Garage arid store.