COLONIAL OFFICE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 297, 12 September 1934, Page 8

COLONIAL OFFICE

Three New Zealanders Appointed UNIVERSITY GRADUATES Advice has recently been received by his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledlsloe, that of four New Zealand candidates recommended by the New Zealand Central Board of Selection, Colonial Appointments Scheme (of which Ills Excellency is chairman), at its meeting held in June last, three have been selected 'by the Secretary of State for the,Colonies. They are:— For Administrative Positions. Air. P. C. Minns (ex-Rhodes Scholar), Auckland University College and Oxford University. Mr. J. B. Sinclair-Lockhart, Canterbury University College and Auckland University College. For Aledicai Appointment. Dr. R. W. D. Maxwell, Otago University. > Successful candidates for administrative appointments, as well as for certain other positions, are required by the Colonial Office to undergo a special course of training . for twelve months at either Oxford or Cambridge University prior to taking up duty in the colony of appointment. Mr. Minns is already in England, Mr. SinclairLockhart (whose appointment 'is to Kenya Colony), left Auckland on AugJist '3l to take the required course at Cambridge University, and Dr., Maxwell, who has been appointed to Fiji, left direct for Suva about' the same time. > The scheme, which was inaugurated in New Zealand in 1929, was suspended by the board for two years and a half in view of the dearth of vacancies in the British Crown Colonies resulting from world-wide economic adversity, and it was only recently that the board felt justified in reassembling in order to deal with applications .for certain classes of appointment in which vacancies existed. The primary object of the scheme, as applied to New Zealand, is the recruitment from among graduates of the • university of young men who, In the opinion of the New Zealand Central Board of Selection (which acts as the recommending authority), are specially qualified to fill positions in the British colonies and dependencies administered by the Secretary'of State for the Colonies, with whom the final decision in connection with these appointments rests; In its task of selecting candidates for repommendation the board has the advantage of reports from the University Selection Committee, which is established at each of the four university colleges in this Dominion.

In addition to the higher classes of appointment, such as administrative probationerships, medical aud educational appointments, there is a limited number of vacancies to be filled annually ju the police, customs and monopo- ■ lies and survey departments and in other branches of the Colonial Service for which New Zealand candidates are eligible and for which'..the minimum . standard of education Is a pass in the matriculation examlnatioff.of the University of New Zealand. Information concerning all classes of appointment!’, for, which competition is severe, can be obtaihed from the Liaison Officer, Colonial Appointments Scheme, at each of the four university colleges of N(jw ; Zealand, or from Sir Cecil Day, Government House, Wellington, who is the honorary-administrative officer in New Zealand! of the scheme.

- The New, Zealand Central Board of Selection, whose services are of an honorary character, proposes to meet once a year (but at no fixed date) unless circumstances render more, frequent meetings necessary.