Who Will Get the Nauru Administratorship?

rFHE post of Administrator of Nauru is to be filled some time this year by the Australian Government. Another minor Administratorship, that of Norfolk Island, also is due for consideration by Australia.

Is the vicious system of posting political job-hunters and superannuated soldiers to these places to be continued?

Ever since it was established, 22 years ago, the PIM has been protesting against the Australian method of selecting men for these exceedingly pleasant Islands jobs. We say that

the positions should be allotted, as recognition of meritorious service, to the best of the Administration offi cials in Papua and New Guinea. In stead, they are handed out by Minis ters and bureaucrats on a system of favouritism, to people who usually lack the essential qualifications— namely, practical experience of trop ical administration, and knowledge of the machinery of administration, Only once in those 22 years was an appointment made along the lines we advocate—that was when Mr.

C. R. Pinney, a senior member of the

Papuan service, was appointed Norfolk Island, It is a waste of tin to describe again the kind of a pointments that were made. T last two will suffice.

Mr. Wilson, who was sent to Ne folk Island by the Socialist Cover ment, had been a non-Labour mer ber of Parliament. He changed 1: party vote at a critical time, and ; allowed the Socialists to get in power—for which, presumably, tl Socialists were very grateful. Heav< alone knows why the Australu Socialist Government selected M Richards for the Nauru job, beyoi the fact that Mr, Richards was tl Leader of a State Labour Party, h doubt, both Mr. Wilson and M Richards will assert that they had r difficulties in filling the Administr torships. Actually, the jobs are sinecure—a light task under excee* ingly pleasant conditions. But th< carry good salaries, with certain a lowances and quite substantial pri\ leges; and why should they be r served for undistinguished politician or for non-professional soldiers wt find themselves job-less at the er of a war?

The work of the Administratic officials in Papua-New Guinea—e pecially those on field duties— much more arduous; and there, ; in most professions, it is usually th best who get to the top. When the reach the rank of Department; chief there is nothing much to 100 forward to, except retirement. Th P-NG Administratorship never y< has gone to the best man among th Departmental heads and, agaii Heaven alone knows why.

But if those Departmental chiel knew that one of them would go t the vacant Administratorship i Nauru or Norfolk or Northern Terr tory, all would feel at least that ir centive was recognised, and th£ there was some sense of justice ii Canberra.

Passengers from Auckland for Tahiti per the Waitemata late in August included: (left to right):- Mr. W. Stuart, formerly of Tahiti, was seeing Mrs. Stuart and the children, Leone and Paul, away on a holiday visit to Tahiti.

Mrs. M. Philipps and her daughter June returned after eight months hliday in New Zealand.

Miss V. Rule, of Auckland, was making her second visit to Tahiti visiting relatives.

Mrs. and Mr. M. Barrier returned from holiday in Auckland. They were farewelled by Mrs. Barrier’s sister (right).