SECRETARIES' CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 66, 19 March 1930, Page 9

SECRETARIES' CONFERENCE.

AUSTRALASIAN INSTITUTE. A luncheon was held to-day at the Farmers' Trading Co.'s tearooms in connection with a conference of the members of the New Zealand Division of the Australasian Institute of Secretaries. JMr. George Hutchison, president of the institute and chairman of the New Zealand division, who occupied the chair, congratulated* the delegates upon this being the first meeting of the kind held here in connection with the institute. He referred to the economic changes that had taken place, which rendered the present an era of specialisation. It required secretaries of companies, and also of public bodies, to especially equip themselves for their duties and study problems arising out of the existing difficult conditions.

The chairman said that the institute now had 1957 members, an increase of 120 on' the numbers last year. The membership of the New Zealand division now totalled 144. Examinations had been regularly conducted throughout Australia and New Zealand, and a good number of students had presented themselves. The council had referred a proposal to the New Zealand division that application be made for a charter for the institute on the lines suggested by a former president, Mr. W. K. Percival, of Sydney. A letter was also read from a London firm of solicitors who had been consulted on the matter.

A resolution was adopted that the matter of applying for a charter for the institute be proceeded with. The chairman explained that the aim was to get a royal charter, the cost of which would be probably £500. • The meeting further decided to add: ::That the council of the Now Zealand division submit to the council of the institute such conditions as may- be considered necessary to conserve the interests of members of the New Zealand division." Office Organisation. Mr. H. B. Burnett, superintendent for the Auckland Harbour Board, then made a few remarks on, "Organisation of Local Bodies' Offices." He said the New Zealand system of management of local bodies was modelled upon that of Parliament. That meant representatives were elected by the people and there was delay between the meetings. That did not tend to efficiency equal to that of an ordinary business. His remarks applied to harbour boards in particular. There must be organisation in the management of "the business of local bodies, a lot of the work being done by various committees. Matters of policy were frequently referred by the board to a committee, where there was freer discussion. As far as harbour boards weie concerned there had been changes in the system of management. The tendency of late years was to have one head to the administrative staff, the general manager, who was often the secietary as well. There were other departments under the supervision of the general manager. They had learned that bodies meeting in the afternoon got throug the business more expeditiously than when thev met in the evening. The Auckland Harbour Board had a permanent staff of 200 and a casual one of about 400. It should not be forgotten that local bodies were trustees of public money, and he must say that members generally seemed to remember that fact. ° The Harbour Board did not aim at making a profit. The policy was to give efficient service, without making much surplus for profit. He considered that members of local bodies in Auckland, did their job efficiently and well.