“Train Men for Public Service”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 365, 28 May 1928, Page 1

“Train Men for Public Service”

GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S ADVICE ADDRESS TO ROTARY The Governor - General, Sir Charles Fergusson, does not agree that New Zealanders are not individual. •‘Personally, I am prepared to argue that the New Zealanders have characteristics different from, but as pronounced as those of other peoples, and characteristics, moreover, of which any people may be proud,” his Excellency told Auckland Rotarians at luncheon to-day. Mr. J. W. Holdsworth presided over a crowded attendance in Lewie Eady’s new hall. Sir Charles Fergusson put three questions to the assembly. The first was: Does our system of higher education in New Zealand do as much as it should in training men and women for public service? Then his Excellency wanted to know whether New Zealanders were growing up trained to discharge intelligently the duties and exercise the responsibilities conferred upon them by a wide and extended franchise, and to take their places efficiently in political, municipal and administrative capacities. Thirdly, he asked whether we were building up a body of civil servants capable of handling the affairs of New Zealand to the best advantage? All thinking people agreed, said Sir Charles, that under a system of democratic government education was more than ever important. He submitted that our public services must eventually suffer by reason of one gap in our educational system—our men were not trained for wider positions in the service of the Empire. “We do not, in fact, develop the intellectual and business capacities of our young people with a view to public service. For instance, our civil service at present is not built up, as it is at Home, from the pick of university men.’* There was little opportunity at present for embryo Parliamentarians and politicians to equip themselves with that knowledge “so essential for those who aspire to be leaders in a democracy.” The best movements and the best things in a country, said the GovernorGeneral, usually came from voluntary effort. And it was for that very reason he believed good service could be gained by lending unqualified support to the training of men and women to think for themselves and to act for themselves. “Make them self-reliant, capable of detecting the false from the true, and of forming anu leading public opinion,’* j was Sir Charles Fergusson’s advice. Public service, not only for New Zealand, but for the whole Empire, should be the keynote of the higher education for our young people. “Give the boys and girls who are coming forward to be trained and equipped to serve their country, the best chance possible,” was the Gov-ernor-General’s parting injunction. “No Rotarian is more welcome than Sir Charles Fergusson,” his Excellency was assured by Mr. Charles Rhodes, who moved a vote of thanks to the speaker. The Governor-General recalled the fact that he was an honorary member of the Wellington Rotary Club.