Jan. 24.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 103

as aforesaid, which said list shall be called “ The
Post and Telegraph Departmental List,” and shall
be prima facie evidence of the several particulars
therein set forth.

(5.) Every such list shall be laid before both Houses of
the General Assembly within ten days after the
commencement of the first session of such Assembly
held next after the said month of January.

25. Where any officer whose name appears in any such
    list thinks that he has been placed in a class lower than
    that in which, from the nature of the services he performs,
    he ought to have been placed, he may within one month
    from the date of the commencement of these regulations
    appeal to the Minister, and, if such appeal appears to the
    Minister to be reasonable, he shall appoint three or more
    competent persons to report thereon, and the Minister may
    confirm, alter, or amend the said list, which, as confirmed,
    altered, or amended, shall be final.

Any officer who desires to appeal shall make application
in writing addressed to the Minister, and stating therein in
specific terms his reasons for such appeal, and every such
application shall be transmitted to the Superintendent or
Secretary.

26. No annual or other increment shall accrue to any
    salary until the officer in receipt of such salary has received
    the same for a full period of twelve calendar months, except
    in case of promotion, when the increment shall take effect
    from the day on which such promotion takes effect.

But the right to receive such increment in any year shall
depend upon the good and diligent conduct of the officer to
whose salary such increment is attached, and a certificate
thereof to be given by the Superintendent or Secretary ; and
if, in the opinion of the Superintendent or Secretary, the
officer is not entitled thereto, he may issue an order to
deprive such officer of such increment, which shall in that
case not be paid : Provided that an appeal from the decision
of the Superintendent or Secretary shall lie to the Minister,
and his determination thereon shall be final.

27. If, on the commencement of these regulations, any
    officer is in receipt of a greater salary than the maximum of
    the class assigned to his work, he shall be transferred as
    soon as may be convenient to some other branch of the de-
    partment in which he can be employed upon duties equiva-
    lent to the amount of his salary; if the officer be found
    unfit for such transference, his salary shall be reduced to the
    maximum of the class to which his work has been assigned.

28. Notwithstanding anything contained in these regu-
    lations, any officer may be transferred from one branch of
    the department to the other, and required to perform any
    and every duty assigned to any officer in a class, or any grade
    in such class.

29. No person who has held office in the department or in
    any other branch of the Civil Service of the colony for a
    period of at least ten years before the passing of “ The Post
    and Telegraph Classification and Regulation Act, 1890,” and
    no officer employed in the department who has previously
    passed the senior Civil Service examination prescribed under
    “ The Civil Service Act, 1866,” or “ The Civil Service Reform
    Act, 1886,” shall be required to pass any further examination
    for promotion to the higher classes in any division.

VACANCIES.

30. When a vacancy occurs in the First Division which it
    is expedient to fill, the Minister shall present to the Gover-
    nor a list comprising not less than three of the senior officers
    of the department ; and the Governor, after due considera-
    tion of the seniority, merit, and suitability of such officers,
    and of the special qualifications and aptitude requisite for
    the discharge of the duties of the office to be filled, may
    appoint to the vacancy ; and, in case the Minister shall
    think there is no officer suitable to fill the vacancy, he may
    report accordingly, and the Governor shall thereupon act as
    he shall think fit.

Any vacancy occasioned by the filling-up of the first
vacancy shall be filled in like manner.

31. Vacancies in the several classes of the Clerical
    Division shall be filled in the following manner:—
    (1.) In the first class, the three senior officers of the
    second class shall be nominated by the Minister as
    being eligible to fill such vacancy, and the Super-
    intendent or Secretary shall select from these the
    person he deems best qualified to fill such vacancy ;
    and the Minister shall recommend the officer so
    selected for appointment accordingly.
    (2.) In any class other than the first class, the senior
    officers of the class next below that in which the
    vacancy occurs shall be eligible to fill such vacancy ;
    and, if there are more than three of such officers,
    their number shall be reduced to three by lot, and
    from these three the Superintendent or Secretary
    shall select the officer whom he deems best quali-
    fied to fill the vacancy.

(3.) If it shall be found that no officer in the class next
below that in which the vacancy occurs is eligible
for promotion to the vacancy by reason of merit
and suitability, then such vacancy shall be filled up
from any class in such division in which a person
qualified by merit and suitability can be found.

(4.) In all cases provided for in this clause the Minister
shall certify that the officer selected is entitled to
the vacant office by seniority, merit, and suitability,
or that the case is one within the last-preceding
subsection ; and, upon such certificate, the Governor
may, subject to the provisions of these regulations,
appoint the officer so certified to the vacant office.

(5.) An officer so promoted shall receive the minimum
salary of the class to which he is so promoted.

32. With the object of ascertaining the fitness of officers to
    fill vacancies in the Clerical Division below the first class,
    they may be examined in such technical and departmental
    subjects as are deemed by the Minister essential for the
    vacant positions, at such times and places and in such
    manner as may from time to time be determined by the
    Minister.

One month’s notice of the intention to hold such exami-
nations shall be given by notice published in the depart-
mental Monthly Circular, and the names of officers who
have passed the required standard of examination shall be
entered by the Secretary in a book kept for that purpose, in
the order of their merit; and in promoting any officers to vacan-
cies, or from one class or grade to another, effect shall, as far
as possible, be given to the results of such examinations.
When the vacancy occurs in a branch in which knowledge
of theory or practice in electric science, or relating to the
Telegraph branch, is requisite, such examination shall be con-
ducted by the District Inspectors and Sub-inspectors of
Telegraphs, and such other officers as may from time to time
be appointed by the Minister; and, where knowledge of or
capacity in business relating to the Post Office branch is
required, the examination shall be held by the Inspector of
Post Offices, or the Assistant Inspector of Post Offices, and
such other officer or officers as the Minister may from time
to time appoint; or the Minister may appoint any of such
officers to conduct all examinations or any such examination
under this regulation.

33. When a vacancy occurs in a higher class in the Non-
    clerical Division,—
    (1.) The Minister shall select for appointment the three
    senior officers of the class next below that in which
    the vacancy has occurred as their names appear on
    the register of the class affected, and from such one
    of these as appears to be most suitable the Governor
    may appoint to the vacancy.
    (2.) If the vacancy occurs in the lowest class of the divi-
    sion, the appointment to the vacancy shall be made
    in the manner hereinbefore provided as to first ap-
    pointments in the Non-clerical Division.
    (3.) If there are more vacancies than one to be filled,
    the like proceedings shall be had and taken as are
    hereinbefore provided.

34. Nothing in these regulations shall be deemed to give
    any officer a right or claim to promotion to any vacant office,
    and vacancies shall only be filled if the Governor thinks it
    expedient to fill the same, and without detriment to the
    efficiency of the department.

35. For the purpose of providing for the compensation to
    be paid to officers of the department appointed on or after
    the passing of “ The Post and Telegraph Classification and
    Regulation Act, 1890,” the following provisions shall have
    effect :—
    (1.) Out of the salary of every such officer there shall be
    deducted the sum of five pounds per centum per
    annum, which said sum, with all interest which may
    accrue thereon, shall be paid into a separate fund
    to the Public Trustee, to be invested at interest on
    such security as the Public Trust Office shall ap-
    prove.
    (2.) The Public Trustee may invest the same along with
    other sums, but a separate account shall be kept
    for the amount paid to the credit of each such
    officer, and no sums to the credit of any officer shall
    be charged with or attached for debt under the pro-
    cess of any Court, or be deemed an asset in the
    event of his bankruptcy.
    (3.) On such officer ceasing to be in the department, from
    whatever cause, except the commission of a crime,
    the amount to his credit in the Public Trust Office
    shall be paid to him ; or, in case of his or her death,
    the amount shall be paid in manner as may be
    directed by his or her will, and, in the absence of
    such will, then according to the law for the time
    being in force regulating the distribution of the
    estates of persons dying intestate.
    (4.) In case any such officer shall be dismissed from or
    cease to be in the department on account of the