For Top Cook

New Man Named

Islands Post

Mr. Leslie James Davis, distant Secretary of New Zea id Island Territories, has been

pointed High Commissioner of

j Cook Islands. In this capa y, he will represent the Queen d the New Zealand Govern ;nt.

NNOUNCING his appointment ■ on October 20, the New Zealand nister of Island Territories, Mr. A.

Hanan, said: ‘Mr. Davis has had considerable ►erience of Cook Islands adminis tion and is well acquainted with mds life and customs. ‘He was recommended for this ition with the full approval of Premier of the Cook Islands, . Albert Henry, and his Govern nt. The Government of New iland is satisfied that he is inently fitted by his experience to its representative in working with Cook Islands Government to en s that the first years of self ernment will be for the Maori pie all that they have hoped.” [Tie new High Commissioner is

Mr. Davis.

irried, with four sons. Mrs. Davis is formerly Miss June Gladys New i, daughter of a former Director Agriculture in Western Samoa, Mr.

W. Newton.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis will leave ickland for Rarotonga by air on vvember 12.

The retiring High Commissioner, -. A. O. Dare, will leave Rarotonga ■ Auckland in the Mariposa on tober 30 after a farewell visit to mds in the Southern Cooks. Mr. ire resigned from the High Com ssionership in September to take up i position of district inspector for ; State Services Commissioner in ristchurch ( PIM, Oct., p. 5).

Served In Samoa

rhe new High Commissioner, who 40, became a cadet in the New iland Post Office in 1940. He was coast-watching duties on Puka ka, Northern Cook Islands, in 14 and was a radio operator at ia. Western Samoa, from 1945 til 1953.

He was private secretary to the gh Commissioner of Western noa, Sir Guy Powles, in 1953- During this time he was also retary of the Executive Council Western Samoa and was the NZ (vernment’s Tokelau Islands Officer.

While on the staff of Island Terri ies Department in Wellington from 56 to 1959, Mr. Davis was onded to the Cook Islands Public vice for a year as Clerk of the gislative Council.

From 1959 he was private secretary two years to the Minister of mds Territories, first Mr. J. Mathi l and then Sir Leon Gotz. \s New Zealand Commissioner, ■. Davis attended the annual sessions the South Pacific Commission in umea in 1963 and 1964, and as distant Secretary of Islands Terri ies, he attended the Cook Islands gislative Assembly discussions on draft Constitution in September, 54.

He was appointed accompanying icer with the United Nations Visit- Mission in the Cook Islands in ril-May this year, and was NZ resentative at a SEATO seminar community development in Bang c, Thailand, in July. • Mr. Henri Lafleur was elected a fourth term in the French Senate September 26 as senator for New ledonia.