THE COOK ISLANDS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2522, 24 July 1915, Page 9

THE COOK ISLANDS

APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNMENT OFFICERS. Some important recommendations for the appointment of Government officers for service in the Cook Islands are contained in the annual report of the' Resident Commissioner.'

' "With regard to this important question," he states, "I can only repeat what I said in my last year!s report. 1 think that all our officers should be appointed from the ' Public Service of New Zealand and the.terms of their appointments should be such as to attract thoroughly good men. . . . If, as I suggest, all Island officers were appointed, from' the Public Service of the Dominion by the Public Service Commissioners, we should get men wlioso character and qualifications were known, and who were specially chosen for the position by competent judges. Further, I consider that there should be speoial privileges to compensate for .the many disabilities here. They should be paid at the Island, rates, and each year's service here should count as a year and a half towards their retiring period; also (and I regard" this point as essential), tlio appointment should be for a term not exceeding five years, on its expiration the officer. returning to the service of the Dominion proper,_ with his service here to his credit in his own Department. In my opinion, a longer period hero has a deteriorating cffect. The isolation is too great, and an officer finds its difficult to keep his ideas thoroughly up to date; also, he tends to lose touch with his Department. By a regular rotation of officers we should ensure having always thoroughly modern me'u, and the Dominion _ Service would benefit also by more widely experienced officers. As I said last year, the Resident Commissioner will always require special judicial as well as • administrative qualifications as Jong as lie continues to act also as Chief Justice of the High Court, the oases coming under his jurisdiction including all those dealt with by a Sunreme Court Judge, as well as petty Police Court work."

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