"A GAP IN SYSTEM"

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 125, 29 May 1928, Page 8

"A GAP IN SYSTEM"

* CIVIL SERVICE TRAINING GOVERNOR-GENERAL SPEAKS (By Telegraph.) (Special to "Tiio Evening Post") ! AUCKLAND, This Day. In a speech at the Auckland Rotary; Club's luncheon, the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, drew attention to "a. gap in our educational system," a failure to provide, specialised training for Civil Service and political and administrative" education . for young people. [ \ ■'.'■. : "Does pur system'of'higher'education in New Zealand do as much as it should in training men and women for public service?" His Excellency asked. ',' Are young' people who are grow-' ing up being trained to discharge their duties intelligently, and to exercise . tho responsibilities conferred upon them by a very wide and extended franchise, and to take their places efficiently later on in political, municipal, and administrative capacities? .Are we building up a body of Civil servants who will be capable of handling the affairs of . the country to the best advantage?" Without in. any serfse offering criticism, His Excellency pointed out that • as far as he had observed there were no facilities in New Zealand for training in principles which concerned administration and local government, of the structure and problems of community- life,' of general community civics and sociology, of' political economy in. its widest bearings. At least, neither in the University nor in any other centre was there a curriculum which really provided for political or administrative education of the'^oung people in the sense he was considering. '' One result, of this gap in. our educational system," he said, "is that our^ public services must eventually, suffer, and, more than that, our men will' not be trained for wider positions in the service of the Empire. Our Civil Service in New Zealand at present is not built up as it is at Home from the pick of the University—men . selected by; means of a stiff competitive examination from those who have 'trained them- - selves specially for the service of* the State. It cannot, indeed, be so built up until the necessity of such training for State servants 'is recognised, and. " facilities for such training are made available, and one might further remark that there is at present little opportunity , for embryo Parliamentarians and politicians to equip themselves with that knowledge which is so essential for those who aspire to be. v leaders in a, democracy." Satisfaction., was expressed by His Excellency at the announcement that a course of lectures on public bodies administration and local government, followed perhaps by more advanced conrses dealing with general community civics and sociology, would bo pro-" vided at the Auckland University College. He hoped it would mark the beginning of a new era. It was an experiment to which he wished all success, and which he believed might have far-reaching effects throughout the country. ' ■