Commission
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
South Pacific
Colonel Kerr Appointed Organising Secretary
SHORTLY after this journal goes to press, the Australian Minister for External Affairs, Dr. Evatt, probably will announce the progress that has been made towards the establishment of the South Pacific Commission (which was agreed upon by a meeting of the repre sentatives of six nations in January last).
Colonel John Kerr, who has been Principal of the School of Pacific Ad ministration, in Sydney, for the past year, has been appointed to act as an organising secretary, to make preliminary arrangements connected with the estab lishment of the South Pacific Commission.
Suitable premises have to be found in Sydney—where the Commission will have its headquarters for at least six months —and a staff assembled.
Colonel Kerr will be assisted by a small staff of Australian and New Zea land officials, who will maintain liaison with the appropriate Government auth orities in the other countries concerned (Britain, United Stated, France, Holland, Australia, New Zealand). Until suitable premises are available in Sydney city, the staff will be housed at the School of Pacific Administration, at St. Georges Heights, Mosman, Sydney (Telephone XM7510).
The new arrangements are all pro visional. Colonel Kerr, for example, will not resign his position as principal of the school. He will carry on the additional work of organising secretary of the Com mission until the Commission has a per manent home and has appointed a chief executive officer.
Among other things, the provisional staff will be responsible for arrangements for the first meeting of the Commission, which is to take place as soon as the Governments concerned have ratified the South Pacific Commission Agreement. It is expected that the first meeting of the Commission will be held in July or August.