S.A. trips by public sevants curtailed

Press, 21 June 1984, Page 2

S.A. trips by public sevants curtailed

PA Wellington The State Services Commission has taken steps to cut visits by public servants to South Africa. A director of the commission’s industrial relations division, Mr Miles Middlemass, said that the commission had distributed a circular to all Government departments on procedures regarding business trips by public servants to South Africa. Offers of free travel and accommodation would now not be taken up. If the trip was assessed to be worth while, it would be paid for from the travel vote of the department concerned, Mr Middlemass said. Mr Middlemass said that invitations from South Africa were usually for individuals to attend international conferences. These were often in the scientific area. A marked increase recently in requests by persons for leave to visit South Africa on business had prompted the decision, he said. “The commission considers public servants should not be encouraged to visit South Africa on official business.” The Consul-General for South Africa, Mr Alan Harvey, said yesteray that if the commission frowned on the exchange it should let the consulate know so that it could advise the authorities on whom not to invite.