THE COLONIAL SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20618, 17 July 1930, Page 10

THE COLONIAL SERVICES.

In his review of the work of the Colonial Conference, Lord Passfield has included reference to a projected unifying of the Colonial Services, noting gratefully the approval given to this innovation, after thorough discussion, by the conference. The question was raised some time ago, and came to the conference for consideration on the recommendation of what is known as the Fisher Committee, a committee set up by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to examine the system of appointments, both to the Colonial Services and in the Colonial Office.' Among other things, this committee strongly recommended unification of the various services as a measure of "rationalisation." The need has long been apparent. Characteristic of the way in which colonics have been founded and their development allowed to proceed, there has been a very haphazard arrangement in recruiting and organising the various services. In reality, there has been practically no organisation. This has been so obviously lacking that to speak of branches of the service has been fallacious; instead, there has been a great number of virtually separate and independent services, some large, some small, some well paid, some poorly paid. No intercolonial movement of officers was possible, prospects of a career overseas in the service of the Crown were prejudicially meagre, and the prestige of the service generally was comparatively low. This state of things was bound to react badly, more or less, and it says much for the quality of the personnel that development has gone on despite this weakness. From the time of Mr. Chamberlain's regime at the end of last century there has been a tendency to look toward unification as an ideal, but no comprehensive attempt was made to introduce it until lately. Now, on the advice of the Fisher Committee and the considered approval of the conference, the desired change will come. The effect will be to weld the colonies, by means of a flux of officers, directed by the Colonial Office with the aid of the colonial Governors, into something as nearly resembling a system as their many differences allow. This means a definite forward step in a matter of first importance in British colonial development.