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1946 NEW ZEALAND

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONERS (THIRTY-FOURTH REPORT OF THE)

Presented to doth Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

To His Excellency Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Cyril Freyberg, Victoria Cross, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand and its Dependencies. May it please Your Excellency,— As Commissioner and Assistant Commissioners under the Public Service Act, 1912, we have the honour to submit the following report as required by section 15 of the Public Service Act, 1912.

REPORT

Reports for the last few years have indicated the staffing difficulties of the Public Service under abnormal conditions. The year ended 31st March, 1946, saw the end of hostilities in both Europe and in the East, and these major events bring the Public Service to another turning-point. Certain war activities started to decline on the cessation of hostilities, while others continued at an even, or sometimes a temporarily increasing pace. New tasks arose, and activities suspended owing to the exigencies of war showed signs of revival. The major staffing trend of the year was the increasing number of resignations of female staff, especially married women and women who had been directed to essential undertakings during the war period. In addition, many male employees who would normally have retired but for the war took an early opportunity of doing so. Others who had been directed from non-essential