THE STUDY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 261, 31 July 1937, Page 17

THE STUDY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

New Zealand Institute The second annual conference of the New Zealand Institute of Public Administration was held in the board ropm of the Government Buildings, Wellington, recently. Mr. J. R Robertson, Dominion president, was in Hie elialr. The institute, which is open to all puldie servants, has for its major object the study of public administration and tbe dissemination of information regarding the best practices in this field. The five branches of the institute at Auckland, Wellington, Christeliurcb, Dunedin and Invercargill, were •ill represented. In view of the fact that it is impossible to seetionalise Government activity and to jierinit further co-ordina-tion between the various branches of the public service, it was decided to amend Hie constitution so as to permit the enrolment of local body officers as members of the institute. It lias been the experience of the institute in the [itist that the opportunity for the re-, presentnlives of the various departments of State to discuss their problems with one another bus been of extreme value, and.it is felt that the infusion of the opinion of local body officers into the discussions of Hie institute will' enable a greater appreciation of the mutual problems of the two great branches of the public service. It was decided that the fellowship of the institute would be granted only for an outstanding contribution to the practice of public administration, or as a result of original research of outstanding merit. There have been no fellowships granted up to the present, and it is felt that this new provision will not only stimulate really constructive work, but will provide some recompense for the work in the fields in which the institute is interested The conference also decided to award bienniallv a medal for the bes* study in the field of public administration, the competition to be open to members of the institute. It is hoped in Hie very near future to inaugurate a journal of public administration devoted solely to the study of that .science. The desirability of university instruction in the higher fields of public lidministration was given emphasis. The conference instructed the executive to endeavour to have courses instituted at tbe earliest possible moment. The following officers were elected: Patron, The Rt. Hon. M. J Savage: vice-patrons, Messrs. T. Mark, J. H. Boves, G. I. McNamara, C.8.E.. G. H. Maekley; president, Mr. J R. Robertson : vice-presidents. Mr. W. D. Armit. Mr. S. T. Barnett, Dr. A. G. Butchers, Mr. A. McCarthy. Mr. N. R. ( MeIsaac; national executive, Mr. G. L. Agar, Dr. A. G. Butchers, Mr F. B. Stephens, Mr. W. Stewart; secretary, Mr. C. A. McFarlane; treasurer, Mr. H. Ormrod; auditor, Mr. ,F. Baker.