Town Clerk to go to Nauru

Press, 15 June 1978, Page 2

Town Clerk to go to Nauru

Ashburton’s Town Clerk, Mr I. S. Watson, will take 'up a post with the Nauruan Government on the island of Nauru, in September. Mr Watson will be the senior administrative officer at Nauru, and in his words will be what he is doing in Ashburton, except for a government instead of local government. Mr Watson was chosen for the post ahead of 60 other applicants, and says he is "nuite excited” about the prospect of his new job. He, his wife, and son, aged 15, will leave for Nauru in mid-September, as soon as Mr Watson has completed his three-month statutory term of notice of resignation. Among other duties, he will be m charge of expatriate recruitment, and in this capacity will return to New Zealand often to interview applicants for positions on Nauru. Nauru is a small island hear the equator with a population of 7000 and an average temperature of about 25deg C. Mr Watson said he had enjoyed his nine years in Ashburton, and would miss the many friends he had made. He is also keenly disappointed about missing the Ashburton centennial celebrations in November, a matter he has worked hard on for many months.

Mr Watson said that the new town clerk should have no difficulty handling the centennial celebrations, as sub-committees had been set up dealing with different aspects of organisation. Ashburton had been growing quietly in the last few years, Mr Watson said. As Town Clerk he had noticed .the emphasis in his work changing from dealing with financial matters to administration. When he leaves for Nauru, Mr Watson will probably be the only man to have been president of the Town Clerk’s Institute for only six months. He was elected to the post in April. Only last week he was made a Justice of the Peace. Mr Watson said that although there would be many things in Ashburton he would miss, he and his family were excited about the move, and regarded it as a great challenge.