SAMOAS CIVIL SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 261, 3 November 1928, Page 12

SAMOAS CIVIL SERVICE.

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. PROMIXEXT NEW ZEALAXD OFFICERS. One of the first things the new Administrator of Samoa (Mr. S. S. Allen) has done ie to ask for the appointment of responsible officers of the Xew Zealand Government to be sent down to thoroughly investigate matters in the Civil .service of our mandated island territory. In response to his request the Xew Zealand Government has appointed three experienced men, who left by the Tofua this morning for Apia, where they will begin work without delay. They are Mr. P. S. Verschaffelt (Public Service Commissioner), Mr. C. A. Berendsen (of the Imperial Affairs Branch of the Prime Minister's office) and Mr. A. D. Park (assistant-secretary to the Treasury). The Administrator asked that the Administration be advised on the reorganisation of the official staff, and also as to the finances of the territory. It will be remembered that diiring the long inquiry concerning the disaffection at Samoa, which resulted in the banishment of Mr. Nelson, several of the witnesses called by the "opposition" contended that there was "an army of officials in Samoa," and that the Administration was costing too much. Mr. Verschaffelt is particularly well fitted to overhaul the Samoan Civil Service. For a number of years he has been Xew Zealand's Public Service Commissioner, and in that capacity he has an intimate knowledge of every Department of the State Departments. Mr. Park is a very experienced Treasury officer and Mr. Berendsen is one of the officials specially connected with Samoan affairs.