TRADER AND TOURIST

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 852, 21 December 1929, Page 10

TRADER AND TOURIST

MERGER OF THREE DEPARTMENTS

DOMINION’S ATTRACTIONS

Press Association

WELLINGTON, Friday. CIR JOSEPH WARD today an . k nounced that it had been decided to amalgamate the Tourist and Health Resorts Department and the publicity section ol the Internal Affairs Department ard the Department of Industries and Commerce. The Prime Minister said tile tVt that the position of general manager of the Tourist and Health Resorts Hepartment was vacant owing to tli. death of the lute Mr. Wilson, and the Mr. J. W. Collins, Secretary of tlis Department of Industries and Coinmerce, had been appointed New z ei ] land representative *n Canada, faci k tated the amalgamation of the tr o departments under one official head The bringing toget her of these tvo departments under one departments! head would enable the activities jf the Tourist, Publicity and Commert* Departments, whicL have hitheito been carried on more or less inde. pendently, to be properly co-ordia. ated, not only in New Zealand, bjt in Australia and abroad, and in 'addition to increased efficiency would lead to more economical management Far some time past it had been felt that the organisation of trade representtion in the Commonwealth of Austia. lia could be considerably improved, and after careful consideration of N, Zealand’s present representation in Australia and abroad, it had been tedded to effect certain improved c ft. partmental reorganisations. The selection of a special representative In Canada had already been announced. Without in any way affecting Government’s policy in regard lo ftfi. litating shipping communication he. tween Melbourne and New Zealand, but with a view of giving more effective control of the organisation, both from trade and tourist points, oI view it had been decided to appoint a special officer from New Zealand to direct the whole of the Dominion’s representation in Australia. Tie officer selected would have headquarters in Sydney, instead of Melbourne as heretofore. Special consideration will be given to the question of fur- . thering trade and commercial lnt;> ests between the two countries, in addition to placing before the pub ic of Australia New Zealand’s commercial possibilities and tourist attractions.

Sir Joseph Ward also stated that the proposed departmental amalgamation would facilitate reorganisation and would not only lessen the present cost, but at the same time give m<« effective service in so far as the commercial interests of the Dominion were concerned. The importance of tourist traffic would continue to receive special consideration, but it was considered that the development of commercial interests should receive more attention than had been Ihe ease in the past. The Public Service Commissioner would deal with the matter of reorganisation in so far as staff proposals were concerned.