H—s

Office Accommodation 11. This Department was ready with a plan for reduction of space occupied and consolidation on to the second floor of the departmental building, Stout Street, as soon as the Accommodation Board was in a position to review the Services' post-war office accommodation requirements. The plan has now been implemented, and an improvement in the standard of the accommodation from wartime standards is a helpful factor from the staffing angle. The space now occupied has been planned in conjunction with the Government Architect and the Accommodation Board on the basis of minimum requirements for some time> to come. At the moment there is slight cramping in some branches to provide for future reductions. The change-over resulted in the release of a complete floor of the Stout Street departmental building. Overseas Training for Civilian Staff 12. There are several highly specialized positions in the Dockyard on the draughting, constructive, and engineering sides at present occupied by Admiralty civilian staff on loan to the New Zealand Government. Every effort is being made to implement the long-term staffing policy of filling these posts with New Zealanders, but this can be accomplished only by arranging special courses of training in Admiralty Dockyards for selected employees. Three employees have already completed varying periods of training (up to three years) in Home Dockyards during the war, and this policy is to continue in accordance with a planned programme so that the necessity for obtaining further loan staff from Admiralty will be a diminishing requirement in future years. General 13. Although the Department is not yet clear of work resulting from the war, very satisfactory progress has been made in view of the several difficulties, mainly connected with staffing. The existing staff, and particularly those members who have been in the Department during the war, have worked willingly, in many cases under the pressure of heavy arrears. Their effort is the more praiseworthy now that all employees are free to choose their course of occupation, and the demand for labour in outside industry is acute and in many cases offers more attractive, remuneration and facilities.

Permanent and Civilian Staff, H.M.N.Z. Dockyard, Auckland 14. Analysis of Public Service staff employed for last nine years is as under :

(Staff employed in outlying depots are shown in parentheses as well as being included in total figures.) 15. The staffing position has changed considerably during the past year, the main causes being as follows : (i) Reduction in number and scope of outlying depots. Staff required for this purpose being reduced from 49 as at 31st March, 1946, to 13 as at 31st March, 1947. (ii) Resignations of female staff following cessation of hostilities and the lifting of man-power controls. The staff being reduced from 106 as at 31st March, 1946, to 74 as at 31st March, 1947.

12

Male. Female. Total. Clerical. General. 31st March, 1939 15 25 4 44 31st March, 1940 27 30 6 63 31st March, 1941 28 68 30 126 31st March, 1942 31 95 77 203 31st March, 1943 35 110 113 258 31st March, 1944 40 (5) 154 (23) 126 (10) 320 (38) 31st March, 1945 55 (9) 179 (33) 136 (14) 370 (56) 31st March, 1946 67 (8) 191 (31) 106 (10) 364 (49) 31st March, 1947 79 (8) 167 (5) 74 320 (13)