Mr Polaschek dies

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34084, 23 February 1976, Page 14

Mr Polaschek dies

1 Press Association • !' WELLINGTON, February 22. i| Mr R. J. Polaschek. i the Secretary for Trans- ' port, and the youngest i person to have been head of a Government department when he took up his post at the age of 39, died of a heart attack at his home in Tawa early yesterday. Mr Polaschek, who was 52, rose from a cadet in the ' Transport Department in 1940

to become Commissioner of i Transport in 1963 and Secre-i Itary in 1968 when the Civil! (Aviation and Transport De-1 ipartments were merged. ' He was described last, i night by the Minister of! I Labour (Mr Gordon), who was ! (Minister of Transport for six :years in the previous National' Administration, as one of] iNew Zealand’s most notable; {public servants. “He was a very loyal ser-l vant to us and deeply dedi-! cated to transport. His negoti-i ations for air rights for New] ; Zealand were tremendous, ; ( and a lot of the credit for! Air New Zealand’s fine posi-i tion must go to him. “His death is a great loss,” said Mr Gordon. ' Mr Polaschek, who was' , bom in Christchurch and educated at St Bede’s College,, and Canterbury and Victoria' University Colleges, joined; the Transport Department as I a cadet in Christchurch ini 1940. After gaining a Diploma in , Public Administration, he 'became a senior lecturer at ' Victoria University in this ’ | subject from 1955 to 1957. He was the author of “Government Administration ! in New Zealand,” which was 1 the first winner of the Institute of Public Administration [i Medal in 1958. He was sec-] iretary of the Public Service /Commission from 1960 to ’ 1963. before he became . Commissioner of Transport .. for five years, and then Sec’’retary for Transport and i Secretary of Civil Aviation • with the merging of the two ; i divisions.

He led several New ZeaI land delegations to overseas 'conferences on transport and] ! aviation. ; He served dn the Institute! iof Public Administration, the [Administration Staff College,: [and the National Roads! Board. ' Mr Polaschek, who served] |in the Royal New Zealand I Air Force as a navigator; ■pilot officer from 1943 to! [1945 in the Pacific, wrote) ■ widely on Government adI ministration, local govern-] Iment matters, and public ad- ; ministration.