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Guidance Association in consultation with the Industrial Psychology Division of the Scientific and Industrial Research Department. The report makes it clear that the shortage of juvenile labour is caused by the following factors : — (a) The fall in the birth-rate for the years from 1920-25, which explains the small number now available for employment. The report estimates that not until 1955 will the supply of juvenile labour return to the level of 1938 : (b) A larger proportion of pupils remain at school: (c) The total demand from all sections of the community for juvenile labour has increased. In addition to the above factors, the acute difficulty which boys experience in obtaining satisfactory board in Wellington strongly impedes recruitment to the Public Service. It is felt that there can be no solution to their accommodation problem until there is functioning a Public Service Hostel in which boys may reside on their arrival in Wellington. Examinations Examinations for those who lacked an academic qualification for promotion beyond C, VI were held in October, 1944. There were forty-two candidates and the examinations were held in fifteen different centres. Eighteen candidates were successful in passing the examination. Twelve officers who sat were ex-servicemen. Normally partial passes are not granted, but as a war concession eight ex-servicemen were credited with the sections of the examination in which they had attained the required standard. By reason of service in the Armed Forces there will be a large number of public servants who will not have had an opportunity to obtain one of the academic qualifications necessary for promotion beyond C, VI. It is the intention to provide tutorial assistance in the form of correspondence courses to enable such candidates to reach the standard set in the examination conducted by this Office. Temporary Employees In view of the difficulties of recruiting permanent staff for the Public Service through the normal channels, it has been still necessary, as during all the war years, to employ substantial numbers on a temporary basis. Although there were many temporary employees even before the war owing to the rapid expansion of the Public Service from 1935 onwards, this trend has been greatly accelerated during the war period and to date has not shown any signs of abatement. Just prior to the outbreak of war it was the intention to review carefully the establishment of all Departments with a view to bringing on the permanent staff those temporary employees who were qualified for permanent appointment and whose services would be needed indefinitely. Unfortunately, the outbreak of war necessitated the postponement of this action. During the year, as a first step, the cases of all temporary employees with military service overseas were examined with a view to their appointment to the permanent staff if they were qualified for such appointment. The claims of employees who are still overseas were fully considered and a number were appointed to the permanent staff. This review has been completed and a number of appointments made, and it will now be necessary to consider the other groups of temporary employees who are filling permanent-establishment positions. Placement op Ex-servicemen Public Servants It has been found necessary to advise Departments that officers who were being released from the Armed Forces were initially to be regarded as being included in a Public Service " pool." This was essential, in view of the rapidly expanding activities of the Rehabilitation and Housing Departments, the War Assets Realization Board, and other priority Departments. In each case there was an urgent necessity to appoint permanent public servants as key members of the staffs of these Departments. All were Departments that prior to the war had little, if any, permanent staff and could not benefit, therefore, by the return of servicemen. The pool has been administered and will continue to be administered in a manner that takes full cognizance of the desires of the returned men, as well as the demands of all Departments. Departments advise this Office when an officer is being discharged from the Forces, and, where necessary, arrangements are made for the officer to be interviewed and his wishes ascertained. The needs of some of the growing Departments and the prospects of advancement therein are made known to him, and he can then decide whether he wishes to be either transferred or seconded to one of these organizations. Rehabilitation op Employees discharged from the Forces, and Stafp-training In previous reports a policy has been outlined for the rehabilitation of those members of the Public Service who have been, or still are, in the Armed Forces. In each Department a Personnel Officer has been appointed, whose first responsibility is to attend to the guidance, training, and welfare of ex-servicemen. Special care has been taken in the selection of Personnel Officers, for if the policy proposed is to become fully effective throughout the length and breadth of the Service it is axiomatic that Personnel Officers should have the ability, status, and unrestricted opportunity to execute the policy in all its phases. Early this year a conference of Personnel Officers was held in order that they should have a full understanding of what was expected of them. In a message to the conference the

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