BUSINESS IN GOVERNMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19999, 16 July 1928, Page 12

BUSINESS IN GOVERNMENT.

CALI FORN lAN ORGANISATION CHAIRMAN VISITS AUCKLAND. A well-known American social economist, Dr. Milbank Johnson, arrived by the Aorangi from Vancouver yesterday on a brief visit to Now Zealand. As chairman of the board of directors of the Californian Taxpayers' Association, ho is prominent in tho movement which aims at the lowering of national and municipal taxation by the improvement of administrative methods in government. Ho is a surgeon by profession, and a director of the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company of Los Angeles and other business concerns in California. In 1897-1901 he was professor oi physiology and clinical medicine at the University of Southern California, and from 1917 to 1919 was a member of the executive committee of the Californian Military Welfare Committee. Speaking of his connection with the movement for the reform of business in legislature, Dr. Johnson said tho sole object was to bring to the State, national and local government the benefit of tho commercial experience and scientific business research of the leaders of commerce, engineering and accountancy. The movement was not political. Tho aim was to offer advice whenever it was felt that economy could be effected in public administration, and in every way to endeavour to infuso government departments with the samo spirit of efficiency that in general characterised tho conduct of private enterprise.

"By suggesting economics in administration wo modestly claim to have saved the Government enormous sums of money," he said, "and at the same time to have reduced the burden on the taxpaver. '' Dr. Johnston is a widely-travelled motorist., and is the founder of the Automobile Club of Southern California, which, with 9,80.000 members, is the largest automobile club in the world. During his fortnight's stay in New Zealand ho will make a motor tour of the North Island. TTe will leave on his return to the United States on the next trip of the Aorangi.