GOVERNMENT ADVISERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18674, 6 April 1935, Page 2

GOVERNMENT ADVISERS

N.Z. CIVIL SERVICE

“ROUND TABLE” CRITICISM

The development in New Zealand methods of government in the lasi few years of the so-called “ Brains Trust” of special economic advisers is commented on by the New Zea land correspondent of the “Round Table” in the March ■■•• issue of thai journal. Particular attention is drawl, to Iho failure 'of the New Zealand .civil service normally to provide foi the heads of the Governmenl ntlieial.with a thorough training in economies and political science.

The reference is as follows: — “The session was noteworthy for a pnonounced change in the method ol government. During the lasi few years government by royal comm is sioti or by select committees lias been the bugbear of the political critics who for the most part seem equally afraid of the growth of power in Unhands of the bureaucracy and the imminence of government by com mittces of - experts. It seems that one or the other is inevitable in tliosi days of difficult economic problems. ‘‘The civil service of New Zealand lias not been very successful in pro ducing within its own ranks officials with the, requisite training for deal ing with such matters. Our governments rarely include any Ministers who have any training in economics and political science. Air. Downie Stewart (who was in the, Massey 'and Coates Ministries from .1921 to 1928 and the Coalition of 19.'!1-.T!) wfls ;• conspicuous exception. Consequently they have had to muddle through by the old rule of thumb methods or ti. turn in desperation to commission after commission of ‘business men’ to solve their problems. VALUE OF SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE “When they suddenly realised thal the Government was beginning to act on its own sources of advice on economic matters, certain critics in bulged in facetious remark's: about Iwhat they called the ‘ Brain Trust,’ obviously a. new feature in Now Zea land politics. For the last two or three years the Minister for Finance, the Jtt. Hon. J. G. Coates, has had on his staff a young member of the New Zealand civil service, Dr. R. M. Camp bell, who spent four years studying economies and political science -in London and the United States, and who accompanied Mr. Coates G .Ottawa in 19:12.

“Since resuming the portfolio of nuance Mr. Coates has increased this (side of his stall", and there is ample evidence that this is a- step in the right direction. Normally a civil service should train officers for such duties,' but the New Zealand civil service has rigidly recruited its othVers at the door of the secondary schools, at the age of 17 or 18, su that their only- means of widening their knowledge thereafter is -by ■ -attending as night, students at the nearest university college. The number of officers who have risen superior to this system and equipped themselves for the solo tion of the higher problems of public administration obviously could hot bgreat.- ■ ■' - ASSISTANCE TO MR. COATES.

“Air. Coates, who must be given credit for taking his political responsibilities with great seriousness, has seen the advantage of attaching t>> himself men who have given special study, in .schools of standing abroad, to the problems that are troubling the country, and are at any rate equipped with some understanding of economic theory, which is so repugnant to many-well-meaning business men. The sui prisingly competent manner in Which Mr. Coates piloted the. Reserve Bank bill through Parliament last year was the first fruits -of this policy. In the present sessio/i he has-exhibited th: same competent grasp of various intricate economic measures that have come forward, clearly showing evidence of a preparation which would have been, impossible without such help. ”