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Christchurch. Telegraph training-schools, where training in Morse and machine-printing telegraphy is given, are also conducted at Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Tuition in telephone-exchange and toll procedure is given to female trainees at Wellington, where a school for typists is also conducted. A training centre was established at Trentham during the year and there are approximately 100 students in residence. SALARIES AND PROMOTIONS General Increase in Salaries A general increase in salaries as a result of the Arbitration Court's pronouncement on standard rates of wages was made effective from the Ist October, 1947, and all employees paid on a salary basis received an increase of £25 per annum. Those employees paid on an hourly basis were granted an increase at the rate of 3d. an hour, while those remunerated on a weekly basis received an increase of 10s. a week, provided they perform a full week's work. Part time employees were granted a pro rata increase. As a result of the general increase in salaries the maximum salary for postmen,, postal assistants, exchange operators, storemen, and chauffeurs has been raised to £360 per annum, and that for tradesmen and skilled linemen to £390 per annum. With both groups the commencing rate is £155 per annum. The maxima are reached in the sixth year of service. Clerks and telegraphists now receive a maximum salary of £425 per annum in the eleventh year of service, with a provision under which long-service officers who have completed eight years' service on the maximum salary and hold the prescribed qualifying examination may proceed to a salary of £440 per annum. The minimum salary rate for executive officers is now £460/£485. Further improvements were also effected in the salary scales for female officers of the Second Division, such as telephoneexchange attendants, shorthand-writers, and others. Promotions prom Second Division to First Division Another staff movement worthy of mention was the appointment of 630 Second Division officers to the First Division. The majority of these officers were returned servicemen, and the promotions, which were effective from the 1946-47 financial year,, were a continuation of the 450 promotions arranged in 1946 as a result of the resumption of the pre-war practice of promoting eligible Second Division officers to the First Division. In 1941 it became necessary, in order to safeguard the interests of soldier officers, to discontinue such promotions. This latest movement, however, will now permit the Department to revert to its normal policy of arranging promotions progressively throughout the year. APPEAL BOARD At the only sitting of the Appeal Board during the year 462 appeals were lodged and 124 appellants appeared before the Board. These appeals were adjudicated upon as follows : allowed, 17 ; withdrawn, 223 ; did not he, 13 ; disallowed, 209. Of the disallowed appeals, it was recommended by the Board in 5 cases that the appellants be granted equal grading with the appointees, while in 7 other cases the appellants, with the Department's consent, were conceded equal grading with the appointees. POST OFFICE WELFARE SCHEME The welfare scheme administered by the Post Office Welfare Trust Board continued to* function successfully and the membership is maintained at a figure in excess of 10,000. This scheme, which was established in 1945, has been the means of assisting in many-

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