Report of the Department oi Lands and Forests for fiscal year ending March 31, 1950 Page 104 



runs, or permanent plates, the copy is typed on paper by the Vari-type Operator and 

 photographed for transfer to a metal plate. The Vari-type Operator produced 863 

 various pieces of copy of this type during the year. 



Servicing and Space Adjustments 



Servicing continues to assume greater proportions with added mechanical 

 devices in Departmental offices. Every effort is made to keep office machinery working 

 in the most efficient manner possible and other services are taken care of as required. 



It has not been possible to effect many space adjustments because of the lack 

 of space which could be utilized. Owing to the move of certain laboratories of the 

 Department of Health to a new location, it is hoped that it will be possible to secure 

 additional office space which is so urgently required to enable personnel to perform 

 their duties more efficiently. 



Conferences 



The arrangements for various conferences were one of the new duties assigned 

 to this section as outlined under the heading "General". The first and largest con- 

 ference to be handled was the Annual District Foresters 1 Conference early in 

 January. Although the securing of necessary space for such a large group is always 

 a problem, it was possible to carry this out satisfactorily and no serious difficulties 

 were encountered during the ten days of meetings. Other conferences handled during 

 the year were the Trappers' Conference, Timber Operators' Conference. Fish and 

 Wildlife Meetings with various Hunting and Angling Clubs, Conservation Officers 

 Trainee Groups and two Head Office Staff Courses 



Properties, Leasing, Etc 



This again constituted a new field for this section. The files relating to all 

 premises owned or leased by the Department were taken over and given considerable 

 study to familiarize the staff with the background. It was found that service along 

 these lines could be improved by an efficient follow-up system, which was instituted 

 and which resulted in a marked speed-up in operations. Close liaison is maintained 

 with the Department of Public Works and the requirements of many field offices for 

 additional space, due to marked expansion, were fulfilled expeditiously. It is hoped 

 that property leases will be taken over by the Department of Public Works in the 

 near future. 



Records Office 



The continued expansion of Departmental activities has resulted in an increase 

 in the number of permanent files by about 2,800 per year. This creates an additional 

 storage problem as well as much larger volume of file movements to various divisional 

 offices. It is necessary to relegate a considerable number of older files to the storage 

 vault at Maple each year, in order to accommodate new entries. The increase in 

 number of files handled also necessities greater care charging out and crediting files 

 as well as greater co-operation from divisional offices in recording the movements of 

 all files in their charge. Otherwise a great deal of time must be consumed in tracing 

 files which become mislaid, and are thus not available when required. 



An increase in requests for messenger service, which is also supplied by the 

 Records Office, was noted, but all calls were carried out without delay. 



