Sir Guy Powles
p. 135 · Read in the full issue
In High Post
SIR GUY POWLES, High Commis sioner for Western Samoa from 1949 to 1960, has been appointed New Zealand’s first Ombudsman.
The NZ Parliament unanimously chose him for the post, and he took office on October 1.
The position is the first of its kind in the British Commonwealth. It en tails the investigation of alleged in justices by Government departments and is completely divorced from politics.
On behalf of a citizen, an Ombuds man can enter the arena of adminis trative power which lies beyond the control of the courts. He cannot hold any other office and can be removed only by Parliament.
The only other countries that have Ombudsmen at present are Denmark and Sweden. The name is a Scan dinavian word —the surname of the first man to hold such an appoint ment.
Sir Guy Powles, a Wellington law yer, rose to the rank of colonel in World War II and was Counsellor at the NZ Embassy in Washington be fore his appointment to Western Samoa. He was NZ High Commis sioner in India from 1960 until his latest appointment. He is 57.