U.N. SEEKS EXPERTS FROM N.Z.

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30603, 20 November 1964, Page 3

U.N. SEEKS EXPERTS FROM N.Z.

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 19.

The United Nations special fund was prepared in certain circumstances to pay fees to the Government for the supply of services and skills o f New Zealand engineers, scientists and experts in the fields of agriculture, forestry’ and public administration, the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) said tonight.

Mr Holyoake said New Zealand technical experts on geothermal energy were among those being sought particularly by the fund be-

cause this source of energy had an important potential for several developing countries requiring assistance from the United Nations. Government ministers and officials had held discussions in Wellington in the last three days with Sir Robert Jackson, visiting senior consultant to the managingdirector of the fund, Mr Paul Hoffman. Sir Robert Jackson had associated with him the technical adviser to the United Nations, Mr D. G. F. Bailey. The fund sought New Zealand engineers and scientists and experts in such areas where this country had special skills, knowledge and experience to provide assistance for projects approved by the fund, said Mr Holyoake. The talks had dealt mainly with the ways in which their skills could be made available, and one of the problems

' for New Zealand would be to I find ways of reconciling its ■ own urgent needs with inter- • national needs. “Many of these skills are I badly needed in New Zealand ; which has a great many prob- : lems of development. “However, we have consis- • tently supported United Nat- • ions programmes for econl omic development and the fund also recognises New ■ Zealand’s own requirements ■ for such staff.” 1 The fact that the fund was . prepared to pay fees might ■ serve in some way to comi pensate for the expense in- ; volved in trying to build up • expert staffs to meet the ad- ■ ditional demand. : The Government was aware :of the opportunities that could accrue to New Zealand ■ through its technical experts • broadening their experience ■ and knowledge in this way, i said Mr Holyoake.

This would help satisfy a desire for travel as well as develop an international market for New Zealand technical services. One field in which New Zealand had already achieved an international reputation was that of geothermal energy. Sir Robert Jackson had been particularly interested in ascertaining the extent to which New Zealand could help by making available its experts and whether the country could provide training under United Nations auspices for experts from the developing countries as well as other technical services.

“Substantial agreement has already been reached with Sir Robert Jackson and Mr Bailey on the problems of providing geothermal assistance. “The prospects are promising but it is not possible at this stage to disclose details,” he said.