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Nelson : Mr. George Newman Hunt died on the 28th February, 1934. Mr. Hunt had been a member of the Nelson District Board since its appointment, and had rendered valuable service to the system and the farming industry. The Board and the district board have conveyed their sympathy to Mrs. Hunt. Taranaki: Mr. Edward Long tendered his resignation owing to his temporary absence from New Zealand for reasons of health. He had been a member of the district board since its appointment, and the Board and district board placed on record their sincere appreciation of the assistance rendered during his period of office. Mr. Samuel Blake, who had previously been a member of the district board but who had found it necessary to resign on account of ill health, was reappointed to the board to fill the vacancy. The vacancies on the Hawke's Bay and Nelson District Boards have not been filled. Meetings of the respective district boards are held only as frequently as is warranted by the volume of business transacted in the districts and the number ot matters m hand for consideration, so that the numbers of meetings held in any one year differ m the_ various districts. Twenty-nine meetings of district boards throughout the Dominion were held during the year. The Board again records its appreciation of the excellent manner in which the members of district boards have carried out the work entrusted to them. A debt of gratitude is due to them by the members of the farming industry for the time spent 111 the interests of their fellow-farmers, 011 a basis which, viewed commercially is practically gratuitous. J ' 23. District Intermediate Credit Supervisors— The following appointments were rendered necessary by staff changes in the Public Trust Office Mr. E. Collins, Head Office staff, as District Intermediate Credit .Supervisor, Nelson, m succession to Mr. A. Bell, transferred to Head Office. Mr, E. H. Muirhead, Deputy District Intermediate Credit Supervisor, I almerston North, as District Intermediate Credit Supervisor, New Plymouth, in succession to Mr. D. L. McKay, resigned. 24. Conference of Executive Officers and District Supervisors.—A conference of executive officers and District Supervisors was held at Wellington on the sth and 6th September, 1933, and was presided over by the Deputy Commissioner. The District Supervisors at Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Hawera, Invercargill Masterton, Napier, Palmerston North, Te Aroha, and Whangarei were present at the conference. Ihe tune available was limited, but useful discussions took place on a number of matters affecting the administration of the system, and resulted in the submission o * number of recommendations to the Board, which were later approved. The conference provided a valuable opportunity for the meeting of the district representatives and the executive officers of the Head Office for an exchange of views on matters of policy and procedure. It is evident that such conferences could with advantage to the system, be arranged periodically. 25. Delegated Powers.—The powers of District Supervisors and district boards were extended during the year in respect of the granting of loans, further advances and readvances, and the fixing of and reduction of repayments. 26. Executive _ Worh.—The Rural Intermediate Credit Act authorizes the Board B u T SemCeS , of an - y department °f State in carrying out any of its functions. ihe Public Irustee, the principal executive member of the Board, made the organization of the Public Trust Office available for the conduct of the administration work and the senior officers at the Head Office have acted as executive officers of the oard and District Public _ Trustees and District Managers have acted as District Intei mediate Credit Supervisors and District Officers respectively. This arrangement has continued to prove a very suitable one, and on several occasions the Board has expressed satisfaction with the manner in which the administration has been conducted.

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