N.Z. Secretaries At The United Nations

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31084, 13 June 1966, Page 2

N.Z. Secretaries At The United Nations

(From

TUI THOMAS,

Womens Editor of '‘The Press")

At least eight New Zealand women are among the clerical staff of the United Nations Secretariat in New York. There may be more.

None of them seems to know exactly how many of their countrywomen are employed in this, the biggest international civil service in the world where nationality tends to become submerged in a multi-racial community 7.

“If you spent all your leisure time with other New Zealanders, or keeping track of them, you might as well never leave home,” one said recently. Here you have a wonderful opportunity to move in a circle of friends from all parts of the world and that is what we do. I chose my friends with interests similar to my own. If one happens to be a New Zealander, her nationality is purely incidental." All the New Zealand girls I met were, however, proud of their country. Most said they would like to settle in New Zealand in the distant future—probably in retirement. All were highly qualified in some particular field and all were widely travelled. It needs courage to face tough competition from most parts of the world even to apply for a job at the United Nations. It requires real ability to pass entry tests with high marks. There are comparatively few vacancies. Miss Kathleen Kiss, an arts graduate of the University of Auckland and a former commercial teacher at Kelston High School, Auckland, is one of the most senior New Zealand stenographers there. She takes a realistic view when asked what assets a girl should have before leaving home with her sights set on a job at the United Nations. “Unless a New Zealand girl is ambitious, tenacious and well-qualified, I don’t hold out many hopes for her chances,” she said. First Requirement The first requirement she put down was top grading as an intermediate, or prefer-

ably, a senior shorthand typist . “Noone should apply without a minimum speed of 60 words a minute in typing and 130 words in shorthand,” she said. Miss Kiss does 80 and 200 respectively. “Before setting out for New York a New Zealand girl should be at least 21—a few years older unless she is very mature. She should have no less than £3OO behind her, plus a paid-for return ticket. She will have to pay at least £2 a night for accommodation when she comes here and her meals will cost another £1 10s a day,” said Miss Kiss. “At this rate money just dribbles away.” A young woman also needed to be sure of her health. “Illness in the United States can put you into debt for life,” she added grimly. A wide general knowledge was essential for any employee of the secretariat, she said. That meant a working understanding of current affairs, economic and social affairs at the international level. The best time to apply for a job was in August, just before the General Assembly opened, although vacancies did occur during the year. Entry Test Having passed the entry test in shorthand, typing and clerical duties a girl could expect to earn £l4OO a year. But most of this would be swallowed up in living expenses. An apartment (bedsittingroom) would cost her about £35 a month. She would have to pay for food, clothing, telephone and other necessities—and the cost-of-living index is going up daily in the United States.

After a term on the probationary staff (possibly two years) a stenographer’s performance is reviewed to see if she is suitable to become a member of the international civil service, under the jurisdiction of the SecretaryGeneral (U Thant). Sitting in the staff lounge in the Secretariat building, before the magnificent stained-glass window recently unveiled to the memory of Dag Hammarskjold, Miss Kiss said that working at the United Nations brought wonderful compensations. In the six years she has been in the Office of Public Information she has been sent overseas to work at the organisation’s mission in Gaza and twice to the Congo. “These assignments have given me unique opportunities to live and work with people of other countries,” she said. "When on missions we are given home leave every two years with fares paid by the U.N. By putting extra towards my travel expenses I have been able to visit Europe and the Eastern countries quite extensively.” Annual Holiday By careful budgeting, Miss Kiss usually takes her annual vacation to some other country not too far from the United States, such as Mexico or the Carribbean Islands. “I like to get away from the artificial way of life in New York and the air pollution, though I am always glad to come back,” she said. But if the hectic pace of life in New York ever took its toll of her energy, her quiet resolve; if she had a sudden yen for green fields, tranquility and a temperate climate. Miss Kiss probably would take a one-way ticket to New Zealand.