INQUIRY INTO STATE SERVICES WELCOMED

Press, Volume C, Issue 29513, 13 May 1961, Page 14

INQUIRY INTO STATE SERVICES WELCOMED

(Neu> Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 12.

The council of the New Zealand Institute of Public Administration has reaffirmed the institute’s contention that the inquiry into State services promised by the Government should be a comprehensive one and should be undertaken by a commission of inquiry. The newly-elected national president iMr L. G. Anderson) made a statement on the subject after the annual council meeting ended. Because it was the institute which originally asked for an inquiry some four years ago, the institute welcomed the Government's decision to have one carried out, said Mr Anderson. At the same time, it had been con-

cerned about published reports of comments made recently by Sir William Dunk to the effect that changes could be made, some of them of a highly contentious nature, by administrative or executive action and that a commission of inquiry was to some extent unnecessary. It was nearly 50 years since the last review of the State services was carried out by an independent tribunal. The institute believed that the time was overdue for another comprehensive inquiry and that major changes should not be considered ■without giving all interested parties the opportunity to make submissions. This opportunity could most fairly be effected with

the procedure of a commission of inquiry. It did not follow that this would necessarily entail recommendations or decisions being delayed for 18 months or two years. As a means of ensuring speedy action, the institute envisaged a procedure which would allow the commission to issue interim reports from time to time dealing with specific issues where changes were called for.