Patea & Waverley Press FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1933 HIGH COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE

Patea Mail, Volume LIII, 8 September 1933, Page 2

Patea & Waverley Press FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1933 HIGH COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE

MR- W. J. Jordan, M.P. for •Manukau, and former president of the New Zealand Labour Party, who recently returned from a visit to the Homeland, is reported to have expressed the opinion that the New Zealand Government is hampering the work of its London offices owing to fatal economy. Mr. Jordan, it is stated, went on to say: “The High Commissioner’s office in the Strand is being stunted for want of funds, and compares very unfavourably with the offices maintained by the' High Commissioners of other Dominions. It is under-staffed, underpaid, and overcrowded, yet the work is being carried on there in connection with' the maintaining and developing of New Zealand’s overseas, markets. • It is of the utmost importance for it to function properly and with the maximum advantage to this country. It should be assisted by a much larger grant from the New Zealand Government. ’ ’ The remarks are so fantastic in view of the facts that one is tempted to ask whether Mr. Jordan did not lose his way when in London and drifted into some subsidiary office in mistake for the High Commissioner’s establishment. Otherwise it is difficult to account for Mr, Jordan’s statement that the New Zealand Government is hampering the office owing, to false economy and that the office is understaffed. According to the annual estimates for the year ending March 31 last (page 82) there are no less than 88 officials employed in the office, made up as follows: 1 High Commissioner, £1575. 1 Secretary, £784. 1 Finance Officer, £709, 69' Clerks and Messengers, £16,421. 15 Miscellaneous, £1174. 1 Publicity Officer, £709. So much for the under-staffing. With regard to the office being stunted for want of funds, the total cost of the establishment as set out in. the estimates (page 83) is set down at £35,228, which includes the following: Advertising, photographs, books, newspapers, and other publications, £l5O. Freight, cartage, and transport charges, £2O. Fuel, light, power, and water, £BSO. House allowance for High Commissioner, £9OO. Refund to officers of difference between amount of income tax payable in England and New Zealand’, £2O.

Maintenance of motor vehicles, £245. * Expenses of; official entertainments, £2OO. - Postages, telegrams, etc., £1450 Rent, rales, taxes, insurance, etc., part recoverable, £7400. Repairs to offices, £llsO. Travelling allowance and expenses, £3OO.

In view of the fact that there are in London, in addition to the High Commissioner’s staff of 88, a number of officials representing the Meat Control Board and others representing the Dairy Control Board, the High Commissioner’s office would appear to be anything but ainder-staffed. To think that a country like New Zealand, with a population of less than that of tin 1 Japanese town of Tokio, requires in London, Jn addition to Meat Board and Dairy

Control Board officials, a High Commissioner and staff numbering 88 is, to say the least, absurd, more especially when it is remembered that the (Jovernmeiit, in order to make ends meet, finds it necessary to take one shilling out of every twenty earned by the typiste, the hospital nurse, and the apprentice, besides other wage-earners. The time is really one for decreasing instead of increasing the staff of a department like that of the High Commissioner.