Likely Successor To Mr Mclntosh

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31134, 10 August 1966, Page 1

Likely Successor To Mr Mclntosh

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, August 9. The new Secretary for External Affairs, who will replace Mr A. D. Mclntosh, will almost certainly be Mr ( j. R. Laking, who is the New Zealand Ambassador to Washington.

Two other possibilities are Mr F. H. Corner (New Zealand’s permanent representative to the United Nations), and Mr G. D. L. White (Deputy Secretary of External Affairs). Although no information is available as to how many applications for the position were made before the closing date last week, it was confirm ed officially that applicants , need not have been officers of the Public Service. A university professor spee d ialising in political science,: for instance, would be elig-d ible. as would an eminent) lawyer who has made a study: of international law. A special commission has: been selected to select the J person. Selection by this method is not open to challenge. Mr Laking, who is 54. is immediately junior to Mr Mclntosh in the department He joined the Customs Department in 1929, went to the Prime Minister’s Department, and served with the War Cabinet. His association with United Nations began in 1946. He was New Zealand Ambas-I

sador to the European Economic Community in 1956. and acted as High Commissioner in London for four years before taking up his present I appointment.