A FINE RECORD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27277, 31 December 1949, Page 5

A FINE RECORD

SERVICE IN LONDON PRIVATE SECRETARY TO NZ HIGH COMMISSIONERS MR C. A. KNOWLES RETIRES NZPA Special Correspondent Rec. 9 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 30. The heads of New Zealand Government departments and service liaison officers in London, at a luncheon at the Russell Hotel today, heard the opinion of a man who has served every New Zealand High Commissioner in the United Kingdom since 1912 upon the manner in which New Zealand’s chief representatives in Britain during' that period have discharged the responsibilities of their office. He was Mr Charles Albert Knowles, C.8.E., who will retire this week after 39 years in the service of the New Zealand Government, 37 of them in the position of private secretary to the High Commissioner. In that period Mr Knowles has acted successively as private secretary to Sir William Hall-Jones, Sir Thomas McKenzie, Sir James Allen, Sir James Parr (two terms), Sir Thomas Wilford, and the present High Commissioner, Mr W. J. Jordan, who has been in office since 1936. In addition, Mr Knowles acted as temporary private secretary to Sir Joseph Ward when Sir Joseph visited Londdn for the coronation of King George I in 1910 and the Imperial Conference in 1911. Mr Knowles also attended every session of the League of Nations except that in 1923, and every session except one of the League of Nations Council while New Zealand was a member State. “I have served every New Zealand High Commissioner m . London as private secretary since 1912,” Mr Knowles said. “ None of them has done other than carry out faithfully the instructions of his Government and although all of them, with the exception of Sir Thomas McKenzie, were appointed by. the political party ip power, none of them in the administration of his office has failed to place it outside and above party politics. It will be a bad day for New Zealand if it is ever otherwise.” Referring to his own experience, Mr Knowles said that in it he had seen New Zealand grow to nationhood in world affairs. When he first -joined the service, the official New Zealand view always was that the Home Government could do no wrong. He well remembered an occasion during the early years of the League of Nations when, on being asked to indicate its attitude to the signing of a certain convention, the New Zealand Government replied that it associated itself with the views of the British Government. “The trouble was,” said Mr Knowles, “ that at that stage the British Government had expressed no views whatever upon this matter." All this-had changed today. Highlyqualified young men with their university honours thick upon them were now serving New Zealand and in their various posts they had only to call for typists or coding clerks and they were forthcoming. “In the earlier days I had to do all my own coding and typing—l think I am entitled to drive that home,” said Mr Knowles. “There has been a very great change—a greater change than most of us can realise. We in this country take New Zealand’s loyalty for granted. In recent years that loyalty has suffered some shocks, but it still persists. I count it an honour to have been able to serve New Zealand for so long.” Tributes to Mr Knowles’s efficiency and long service were paid by the High Commissioner and senior Government officers in London, and he was presented with a cheque. Mr Knowles will be succeeded by Mr Richard Taylor, formerly third secretary of the New Zealand Legation at Washington and at present assistant external affairs officer in London.