DEPARTMENTS MERGED

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 75, 21 December 1929, Page 12

DEPARTMENTS MERGED

THREE SERVICES COMBINE TOURIST, PUBLICITY, AND COMMERCE SPECIAL AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATION The anticipated amalgamation of the Tourist and Health Resorts Department, the publicity section of the Department of Internal Affairs, and the Department of Industries and Commerce was announced yesterday by the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward), who also indicated the appointment of a special officer to direct New Zealand’s representation in Australia. The merger of the department has been facilitated by the position of general manager of the Tourist and Health Resorts Department being vacated owing to the death of the late Mr. Wilson, and through Mr. J. W. Collins, secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce, having been appointed to the position of New Zealand representative in Canada. Co-ordination and Efficiency. Although the combined department will be under the one official head, it will be subject to the control of two Ministers —the Hon, P. A. de la Perrelle (Tourist and Publicity) and the Hon. J. B. Donald (Industries and Commerce). In the course of his statement yesterday, the Prime Minister maintained that the bringing together of the departments would enable the tourist, publicity and commerce activities, which had hitherto been carried on more or less independently, to be properly co-ordinated, not only in New Zealand, but in Australia and' elsewhere abroad, and, in addition to increased efficiency, would lead to more economical management. Australian Officer. “For some time past,” continued the Prime Minister, “it had been felt that the organisation of trade representation in the Commonwealth of Australia could be considerably improved, and after careful consideration of New Zealand’s present representation in Australia and abroad, it has been decided to effect certain improved departmental reorganisation. The selection of a special representative in Canada has already been announced. “Without in any way affecting the Government’s policy in regard to facilitating shipping communication between Melbourne and New Zealand, but with the view of making more effective the control of the organisation, both from trade and tourist points of view, it has been decided to appoint a special officer from New Zealand to direct the whole of the Dominion’s representation in Australia. The officer selected will have his headquarters in Sydney instead of in Melbourne as heretofore. Special consideration will be given to the question of furthering trade and commercial interests between the two countries, in addition to placing before the public of Australia New Zealand’s commercial possibilities and tourist attractions.” Facilitating Reorganisation. Sir Joseph Ward also stated that the proposed departmental amalgamation would facilitate .the reorganisation, and would not only lessen the present cost, but at the same time render a more effective service in so far as the commercial interests’of che Dominion were concerneu. The importance of the tourist traffic would continue to receive special consideration, but it was considered that the development of commercial interests should receive more attention than had been the case in the past. The Public Service Commissioner would deal with the matter of reorganisation in so far as the staff proposals were concerned.