H.—l4.

rates of salary paid to other officials in the respective territories. It is anticipated that the new scales will continue to attract the right types of young virile teachers and, by preserving relevancy and association between the various Islands, will provide sufficient higher status positions to induce the best of these teachers to remain in the work sufficiently long to help build the teaching service into that bestsuited to requirements. Accommodation. The partial review of office accommodation in the various centres which took place when accommodation was being arranged for the Social Security Department again showed clearly that there is considerable room for improvement in many centres. This particularly applies to the towns next in importance to the four centres. The situation calls for either a comprehensive building programme which will permit the Departments to be properly housed and centrally located or, pending such a final settlement of the difficulties, the renting of suitable premises which will accommodate together most, if not all, of the Departments in such centres. It is fitting to give commendation to the Public Works Department on the work which was achieved in a very short time in connection with the accommodation for the new Social Security Department. Public Service Board of Appeal. As mentioned in last year's report, the Public Service Board of Appeal commenced the hearing of appeals against the 1937 Reclassification of the Public Service on 18th March, 1938. The personnel of the Board was : — W. F. Stilwell, Stipendiary Magistrate, Chairman. J. H. Jerram, General Manager, State Fire and Accident Insurance Department, Government nominee. A. S. Houston, Secretary, Agriculture Department, Public Service representative. A. E. Reynolds, Clerk of Magistrates' Court, Wellington, Public Service representative. In appeals affecting the State Fire and Accident Insurance Department it was necessary to appoint a Deputy-Member for varying short periods, vice Mr. J. 11. Jerram, and in this connection the undermentioned functioned as Government Members of the Board when necessary : — P. G. Pearce, Secretary for Land and Deeds and Commissioner of Stamp Duties. F. N. Abercrombie, Collector of Customs, Auckland. A. D. McGavock, Director and Secretary, State Forest Department. The Board of Appeal proceeded first to the South Island, appeals being heard at Invercargill, Dunedin, Timaru, Greymouth, Christchurch, and Blenheim. North Island appeals were then proceeded with, the Board journeying to Wanganui, New Plymouth, Hamilton, Auckland, Rotorua, Palmerston North, Gisborne, and Napier before returning to Wellington to hear local appeals. In addition to appeals against reclassification, the Board took the opportunity of determining non-promotion appeals whilst on circuit at the various centres. A summary of Appeal Board decisions is appended. Appeals against Reclassification as at Ist April, 1937. Allowed, 38 ; allowed by consent, 5 ; not allowed, 263 ; do not lie, 177 ; withdrawn, 173 : total, 656. Appeals against Non-promotion. Allowed, 2 ; not allowed, 105 ; do not lie, 4 ; withdrawn, 62. The Board concluded its hearing of the majority of reclassification appeals at the end of October, 1938. A further brief sitting of the Board was held prior to the 1938 Christmas vacation, when nine appeals against non-promotion to advertised positions were disposed of, decisions being recorded : Not allowed, 7 ; withdrawn, 2.

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