Mr Jack Searle

Press, 30 November 1987, Page 28

Mr Jack Searle

PA Wellington Mr Jack Searle, a former Internal Affairs Secretary, has died at Wellington Hospital, aged 65. Mr Searle, whose Public Service career spanned 49 years, held the position of Secretary of Internal Affairs from 1978 to 1982, when he retired at 60. He joined the then Public Works Department in 1938 as a clerical cadet at the age of 16. In 1953 he took up a position as organisation and methods officer with the Electricity Department, then returned to the Minstry of

Works as chief accountant in 1957. In 1959, Mr Searle joined the Treasury as a senior investigating officer. Between 1964 and 1968 he was the Treasury officer responsible for the changeover to decimal currency. He returned to the NZE.D. as director of administration in 1968, before being appointed Assistant Commissioner of Works in 1971, then Secretary of Internal Affaire, to 1978. Mr Searle’s study of currency reform, commissioned by the Treasury, took him late last year to

Canada, England and Europe. It resulted in proposals to replace the dollar note with a coin, to phase out the 1c and 2c coins and to make New Zealand’s coins smaller.; A lay preacher with foe Baptist Church in Naenae, Mr Searle was also a keen amateur radio operator and a member of the Professional Businessmen's Association. He was admitted :to Wellington Hospital for heart surgery at the weekend. Mr Searle Is survived by his wife, and six children. v’.*-