First Clear Desk In 41 Years

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30481, 1 July 1964, Page 16

First Clear Desk In 41 Years

Mr J. F. Mills yesterday sat behind his first clear desk for 41 years. His “in” and “out" trays, his drawers, and his satchel were all empty. Mr Mills was retiring as regional executive officer for the Education Department’s southern office in Christchurch and thus ended a career of which most people said: “Jimmy Mills makes the show tick.”

Mr Mills grew up in Temuka, was educated at the district high school there, and returned as a pupil teacher in 1922. On this slight experience he was assigned to the Education De-

partment when he joined the Public Service a year later. However, Mr Mills has always taken special pride in his knowledge of teachers. Early clerical duties mostly concerned teachers and he was then successively controlling officer of the teachers’ division in Wellington from 1948, transport and examinations officer from 1955, and executive officer for head office administration from 1957.

Long before the southern regional office opened in 1960, Mr Mills had been preparing for the vast job of decentralisation of all records and ser viees for the whole of the South Island except Nelson and Marlborough. The southern office opened with 55 administrative staff plus inspectors and specialist teacher advisers. It now has 60 staff plus an increased professional team. Mr Mills said his greatest satisfaction was that the office had been accepted by school authorities as a centre which understood local needs.

Mr Mills in the last three years signed cheques for about 20 per cent of the total Education Vote (£60.000,000 this year). “This is 20 times the Vote when I joined the departni-nt and I believe we are getting great value in better teaching, better buildings, and better care by the many special services,” Mr Mills said.

As regional administrative office Mr Mills was responsible for the teachers, buildings, transport, stores, and accounts divisions in Christchurch. He said he had always tried to improve the old impression of an impersonal Education Department and scores of messages on his retirement had kindly referred to personal interest and help.

'The Director of Education (Mr A. E. Campbell), the Administrative Assistant Director (Mr L. M. Graham), and the Regional Superintendent (Mr S. S. P. Hamilton) praised all these aspects of Mr Mills’s work at a farewell function yesterday.