GIFTS COMMISSIONER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 70, 25 March 1940, Page 6

GIFTS COMMISSIONER

PREMATURE ANNOUNCEMENT OF APPOINTMENT MR. MULLING’S HEALTH PREVENTS SELECTION. I Per Pres* Association.J WELLINGTON. March 23. • I regret to say that there appears to have been some misunderstanding in regard to the procedure in making the appointment of a Gift Commissioner with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force,” said the Minister of Defence, Hon. F. Jones, in a statement. “A premature announcement that Mr. James Melling, town clerk at Auckland, had been appointed caused the Government, the National Patriotic Fund Board and Mr. Melling considerable embarrassment. It was intended that the National PatrioticFund Board should receive applications or nominations for the appointment of a gifts commissioner and make a selection and submit it to the Government tor approval. Unfortunately, the choice ol the National Patriotic Fund Board nominee was given wide publicity prior to two important conditions being fulfilled—firstly, the Government’s approval of the selection made, and secondly a medical examination in order to establish the fact that the person selected by the National Patriotic Fund Board was physically fit to cqrry out overseas the duties required of him. At the moment, no one can foretell the Ultimate destination or field of operations of the Second N.Z.E.F. and it will be appreciated that the duties of the Gift Commissioner will not only be onerous but may also have to be carried out under trying climatic and physical conditions.. The Government appreciates fully Mr. Melling’s offer of service. It has the highest regard for his ability and administrative qualifications and would have been pleased to consider his nomination as Gifts Commisisoner, but unfortunately the examination by the medical board has shown that owing to injuries received while serving his country during the last war, a further period of service in an active theatre of operations would endanger Mr. Melling’s state of health. It *s with regret that the Government is unable, for the reasons stated, to make this appointment.”