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of this office are divided out amongst the Colonies making use
of the services in proportion to the amount of tax collected.
F. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
440 A pleasing feature of the opening of the Department
was the fact that, almost without exception, those members
of the staff of the former War Taxation Department who were
still in the service of Government applied for a transfer to
the new Department. In almost every case it was found possible
to effect a transfer and I am most grateful to heads of other
Departments for their co-operation in releasing these officers,
often at great inconvenience to themselves. The presence of
experienced officers in the Department has been invaluable
and has greatly eased the task of setting up a new and elaborate
organisation.
45. It gives me great pleasure also to acknowledge the
hard work put in by all members of the staff, of all grades,
during the year under review. During the early months in
particular, a mass of monotonous clerical work had to be got
through; when that was completed and assessment commenced the
pressure of work on the staff became even greater owing to the
need for settling, at the outset, innumerable questions which,
once settled, were then settled for all future years. That,
instead of the chaos which might so easily have arisen, the
results recorded in this Report were achieved is a great tribute
to the dependability and hard work of all members of the staff,
of whatever grade.
46. Finally, I must acknowledge my indebtedness to tax-
payers in general, and to their representatives, for the co-
operation and assistance which I have received. That the
department has established satisfactory public relations is
due in no small measure to the willingness of the public to