BRILLIANT CAREER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22269, 18 November 1935, Page 12

BRILLIANT CAREER

SIR RALPH HARWOOD KING'S FINANCIAL SECRETARY •»(Received -November 17. 5.5 p.m.) V, .' • r . LONDON. Not. 16 The', Sun-Herald news service says that the culmination of one of the most rertatkable'careers in the British Government service is the appointment of Sir Ralph Harwood,- K.C.8.,' K.C.V.0., at the age of 52, to the new office of financial secretary to His Majesty the King. Sir Ralph Harwood was a Post Office telegraphist at 15. "He transferred from the Post Office to "Whitehall, becoming a second-class clerk in the India Office and earning a fine reputation for organising ability and financial foresight. He . was of the Finance Division of the Air Ministry in 1918, and became principal establishment officer atf the Treasury in 1919. He held the post of Assistant Secretary of the Treasury from 1919 to 1922, when His Majesty selected him to take charge of Buckingham Palace's "purse strings," specially creating the post of Deputy-Treasurer to the King. He was responsible for reorganising the Royal financial affairs when His Majesty requested an economy cut of £IO,OOO in the Privy Purse. Sir, Ralph Harwood's tact and courtesy are well known among His , Majesty's entourage. He eliminated many non-essential and expensive brandhes of the Royal Household offices, changes being made necessary by the fact that the House of Commons' annual grant to His Majesty has not been' altered since tho war, although the expenses have greatly increased. . Several other changes in the Royal Household, personnel following Lord Sysonbv's death include Sir Clive Wigram's amalgamating the private secretaryship with the post of Keeper of the Privy Purse.