SECRETARY OF MARINE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19038, 7 December 1923, Page 2

SECRETARY OF MARINE.

The Recent Appointment.

SEAMEN’S UNION PROTEST,

Dissatisfaction has been aroused among seamen owing to the Government’s action in appointing Mr G. U. Godfrey, of the Public Works Department, to the position of Secretary of Marine. It is claimed by a great number of seamen that the Marine Department possesses men with considerable experience in maritime laws, and Ural the appointment should have been made from that department. After considerable discussion at the monthly stop-work meeting of the Dunedin branch of the Federated Seamen’s Union on Tuesday morning, the following resolution was carried:—

“That this .'stop-work .meeting of members of the Federated Seamen’s Union deplores the fact that the Government has appointed a permanent Secretary of Marino from outside the Marine Department. New Zealand being, by reason of her vast resources and insular position, a maritime country of rapidly increasing consequence, there is, in, ■ our opinion, no more important department of State than that of Marine. For this reason alone the greatest care should be taken to ensure its efficiency to deal with, all matters coming within its jurisdiction. We are of opinion that in its appointment to the, post of secretary since the death of Mr George Allport, the Government has shown a complete lack of appreciation of what is required in this respect; and that as a result this department, from being one of the most, efficient in the Government's service, has degenerated into a nest of disorganisation and imiddlement. This, we believe, would not have been the case had other than political considerations been taken into account in> the appointing of the late Mr Allport’s successor. Believing as we do that a profound knowledge of maritime law and the underlying History of it is the chief essential to the equipment Of a successful Secretary of Marine, and that' this can only be acquired' through many years’ experience in the .Marine Department itself, we therefore, as parties vitally concerned in the constitution and efficiency of that department, protest molt emphatically against the appointment of a person having little or no experience of these matters. We demand that thorough qualification for the post shall he the only consideration governing the appointment.”