STRANGE REQUESTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21520, 17 June 1933, Page 2 (Supplement)

STRANGE REQUESTS

CROWN AGENTS' DUTIES ROPE FOR EXECUTIONS f— * " SAMPLE " STEAM ROLLER The centenary of the department in London of the Crown Agents for the Colonies fell in April. It was established 'a hundred years ago in a single room which provided accommodation for two retired Colonial Office clerks,. Edward Barnard and George Baillie. From this the department has grown to its present handsome abode overlooking the Thames at Millbank. The department possesses a somewhat curious status, but one which is in some respects characteristically British. While the Crown Agents and their staffs are appointed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and hold their appointments at his pleasure, they are not really his "agents" at all in the true sense of the word. On the contrary, they are the agents of the various colonics, dependencies and mandated territories to whom they are allocated, and from whom they not only take their orders but also receive their salaries, and to these they are solely responsible. At the same time these Colonial Governments can neither discharge them nor remove them from their duties. The duties of the office are diverse and widespread, and may bo roughlj divided into three , main branches—finance, matters relating to commerce

and .industry, and appointments. A direction in which the department has been displaying its usefulness during the past "few years is in seeking to establish standardisation in the matter of railway equipment and engineering supplies wherever possible. Some of the supplies called for from Britain by distant outposts of the Empire, says the Observer, London, are surprising to *a degree, and often entertaining. Thus, when, a year or two ago, a requisition was received for a quantity of rope, it was found that those responsible for its issue had omitted to specify the precise nature or the purpose for which the ropo was required. Telegraphic inquiries oti these points evoked the startling reply, "the usual type for hanging criminals with!" It is not very long ago, either, since the Crown Agents were called on to obtain tenders for the supply of a quantity of extremely large and brightlycoloured umbrellas. These were required for an assembly of African native chiefs that it was proposed to summon, when the local Government proposed to present the umbrellas to them subsequently, so that they could take them back with them to their native villages. Gleams of humour, too. occasionally creep even into such a matter-of-fact business as calling for tenders. It is

only a few years ago, for instance, since, by some oversight, it was gravely set forth in asking for prices for steamrollers, "a sample should in every case be attached to the tender form!" While a largo proportion of tho personnel of tho various local Government departments is recruited from other sources, tho Crown Agents have still a great many important appointments to fill in the course of a year. These aro mainly for specialists in one direction or another, or for thoso possessed of technical qualifications that are more or less uncommon. It was, however, with something akin to surprise, that request was once received in tho department from a small dependency for tho engagement and transportation of "an expert safebreaker for special duty." Subsequent inquiries went to show that the strongroom doors of tho head office of the principal local bank had become firmly wedged and defied all efforts to open them. Thus it canto about that there was a very acute financial stringency in that particular corner of the Einpiro until a suitable expert could bo discovered and despatched.