PRIME MINISTER'S WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15, 19 January 1926, Page 14

PRIME MINISTER'S WORK.

A NEW DEPARTMENT. MR. F. D. THOMSON AS HEAD. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Monday. In his announcement regarding the appointment of the new Ministers. Mr. Coates says: "Since assuming the leadership of the Government last rear. I have become increasingly impressed with the manifold activities and almost unlimited scope of the work ■ attaching to the office of Prime Minister, involving as they do, very heavy demands on his time and attention. In our demo-' cratic community the Prime Minister is j called upon perforce to attend to a larire I amount of detail -work, which leaves j him bi:t little time to devote mature ■ consideration to many important milt- ■ ters in the wider field of policy. Tim ! Prime Minister, in my opinion, should i Ibe relieved of much of this attention to ', ' detail in order that a great deal more or ' his time may be usefully employed in '■■ the general interests of the Dominion. | '"Moreover, the development of closer j inter-Imperial relations, which may he I said to have had their birth, in the j Imperial War Cabinets and conferences nine or ten years ago. is now increasing to such an extent, that, in the opinion of the Government, the time has arrived when special provision should be made j to deal with this highly important branch of our work.

Demands Too Heavy. "I am strongly of opinion that all ; such matters should come under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister, especially in view of the fact that he is the official representative of the Domi- ■ nion at all Imperial conferences, and> in this capacity, is the person -who is 1 invested with the requisite authority to speak on behalf of the Government and the . country in the councils of cue

Empire. It is only rig-lit to say that the staff of the Prime Minister's office, with its limited personnel, has in the past eliieientlv carried on a. tremendous volume of work, but I am convinced that the demands have now become too heavy to enable adequate consideration being given to many important questions which arise in the course of adj ministration. , '"Therefore, with a view to more ; effective organisation. I have decided to create a Prime Ministers Department under a permanent departmental head, and also to appoint to the staff of tiift new Department a special officer, whose duty will be confined to Imperial and external affairs arising in the course of the continuous process of ' communication, and consultation which ,is now in force as between His '. Majesty's Government and the Dorni- ! nions. By this means a more complete ! system of co-ordination will be brought ; into practice in connection with our \ Imperial work. "The additional expenditure involved !in the creation of this Department , need not be large, but it will be amply 1 justified by increased efficiency and j organisation. . Greater Efficiency.

"Mr. F. D. Thomson. C.M.G., who has for many years held the position of chief private secretary to the Prime Minister, will be appointed as permanent; hpjid of tho new Department. The special * officer to be appointed to the External Affairs branch of the Department will be announced in due course. ■"In announcing the creation of this Department I would like, in conclusion, to add ci row words of a personal nature bearinjr upon the change. Ido not wish the. public to infer that I desire to isolate myself in any way, or to render myself inaccessible to members (if the community who are desirous of seeing mo. On the contrary, I shall continue to welcome such visit 3 and an opportunity for mutual discussion of matters connected with the administration of the public affairs of ojr country. What I do hope to achieve by setting up such an organisation is a greater measure of efficiency in dealing- with official matters, and more time to devote personally to promoting the well being of all sections of our people. In saying this it must not be understood that the Prime Minister is the only responsible member of the Government, but .experience has proved that very often there is a tendency on the part of persons to co over the heads of Ministers of the Crown in bringing various matters to the attention of the Prime Minister, resulting frequently in duplication and : unnecessary delay in dealing with I them."