APPOINTMENTS OVERSEAS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23966, 5 June 1943, Page 4

APPOINTMENTS OVERSEAS

- ♦ '' i ' EXTERNAL AFFAIRS BIH DISCUSSION OPPORTUNITY FOR CIVIL ; SERVANTS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 4. The External Affairs Bill dealing with the administration of New Zealand’s interests overseas was passed by the House of Representatives this afternoon with one minor amendment to make clear the intention of one clause relating to the superannuation payments of officers appointed to positions overseas. An amendment was moved by Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo) which sought to bring the appointment of officers to assist overseas representatives under the control of the Public Service Commissioner instead of the Minister. It was defeated on the voices. M During the second reading discus- 'v* , J sion on the bill, Mr F. W. Doidge lOpposition, Tauranga). after expressing the hope that the Prime Minister would . give some indication to the House of '.'t the intended widening of the activities > ; of his department abroad, paid tribute ’ to Mr Fraser’s handling of external affairs, stating that the Prime Min- ! ister had always shown great capacity in that direction. He had handled the work with dignity, sound judgment, and fine patriotism. Mr Doidge emphasised the respon- • sibilities of High Commissioners who might be appointed, and asked if it ->»• was necessary that they should always be Ministers or tired Ministers for .■ whom some other job had to be found, "v This did not apply to the Minister of Finance, who had a first-class brain, ■ Mr Doidge also expressed strong ap- ■' proval of the recent appointments.of ' Mr C. A. Berendsen to Australia and Mr Geoffrey Cox to the position in - the New Zealand Minister’s office in - Washington. He said that he hoped the Prime Minister would take to heart what had been said about men '' already in the civil service having th<- i right to expect promotion to jobs over- - seas. Men should be especially trained , - for such positions. Replying to the debate, Mr Frasfcr;'- J said that a number of United Nationi were anxious, because of New Zealand’s prominence in the war, to exchange representatives with the Dominion, but obviously New Zealand '■ , v - would be overburdened if every request were acceded to. On the other . hand, it was important that New Zealand should be represented where the. ' representation was beneficial. The.-ap-pointment of Mr Geoffrey Cox was an example of the absolute need for the ' s Government to be able to appoint any "■ man who was suitable for a job. Mr Fraser said that he did not under value the ability of the public service ,;4 : , in New Zealand, but he considered that■ ; the whole of New Zealand should be the field from which overseas appointments should be made. -However «a things being equal, he would give pub- • lie servants first consideration. 4 Reply to Criticism Some criticism, said Mr Fraser, had : been made regarding the appointment:-'"” of Lieutenant-Colonel W. N. Pharazyn' as military attache to the New Zea- ■ ' land Legation m Washington. He was ‘ a distinguished soldier in the last war, . V and after that had been engaged in a diplomatic mission for Great Britain to Turkey. Nobody could doubt . ’ his ability and nobody in New Zea- 'inland was more suited for the bppolnt-': ment. It had been stated that Lieu- '' ,' i . tenant-Colonel Pharazyn had been a,-’ prominent Communist, said Mr Fraser.’ Personally, he was not aware of that, . ' but he did know that lately Lieuten-'.'Vi ant-Colonel Pharazyn had beem a ■V\ prominent anti-Communist, That, how-’ : ever, was not the point. He Was at-:'-’ man who was helping in the war 1 and Mr Fraser said that he would be pre- 1 ’■ pared to stand up and-defend him at -' '*•' any time. , Island Territories Bill ' > ! ~ ’ The Island Territories Bill, which Mr *’ /! Fraser in moving the second resßing*> said was corpllary to the ■ Affairs; Bill, was passed through '•thtff^' l ? remaining stages without discussion, and the Patents, Designs and Trade Marks Amendment Bill, discussion on which had been adjourned from jiapi-S 4 12, was also put through the remSinifj?*' - ' mg stages and passed, the House 'rising ' at 4.10 p.m, until- -Tuesday. '.* ■