VACANT POSITIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22388, 7 April 1936, Page 10

VACANT POSITIONS

GOYEKNMENT OFFICES I appointments deferred an early announcement [ 9 Y TELEGRAPH— SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Monday Owing to the fact that the House of Representatives was sitting to-day and the customary Monday Cabinet meeting was curtailed in consequence final decisions have not been reached regarding the filling of several important Government offices which aAe fallen vacant within recent m ° n ths. Appointments were considered by the Cabinet and it is expected that an announcement will be made very shortly regarding the two men who are to hold office as Public Service Commissioners. Until recently there has been only one commissioner in charge of the Public Service. Mr. P. D. N. Verschaffelt resigned last year and since then the present Government has indicated ift intention of appointing two commissioners. Its view apparently is that the duties of the office have increased considerably in recent years. The post of Administrator of Samoa has been vacant since the resignation of Sir Herbert Hart toward the middle of last year. The secretary of the Administration, Mr. A. C. Turnbull, has since been acting-Administrator. It is gathered that before making a permanent appointment the Government may consider sending either a Minister or one of its own supporters to Samoa to inquire into existing conditions in the mandated territory. Such an investigation would probably give the Government a li ne as to the requirements necessary in the new administrator. On several occasions recently the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, has made it clear that Samoa is to be administered for the benefit cf the Samoans themselves.

As previously stated, the position of Commissioner of Police is almost certain to be filled from the ranks of the higher officers in the force. Mr. S. Till, superintendent at Auckland, and Mr. D. Cummings, superintendent at Wellington. are regarded as the most likely aspirants. It is understood that the Cabient did not reach to-day the question of making appointments to the directorate of the Bank of New Zealand in succession to the retiring Government nominees, Sir Harold Beauchamp and Mr. Oliver Nicholson.