613

A.—s

to cope with them. What is done in the Crown Colonies is done with oilicers of this department ; that is to say, their whole services are composed of members of this department. They return here more or less frequently, certain of those now in this office having been employed in the Crown Colonies, and certain of those who were in this ollice having been sent to the Crown Colonies. By this means there is a certain interchange which keeps them in touch with one another, and most essential that touch is. But with regard to the self-governing Colonies, the only officer who does come and go is the chief officer of all, the Governor or Governor-General, as the case may be. His functions are of so general and of so serious a character, that they are not numerous. He does not come into frequent relations with many of the departments of the government he administers, and looks down upon their working from an altitude which, though advantageous, does not permit of the intimate acquaintance with them which Ministers necessarily gain; moreover, when he is transferred to another government, or even when he returns to this country, his services and knowledge appear to-be employed to a comparatively limited extent. Consequently, we have at present an altogether insufficient means of touch between the Dominions which we specialty represent and the officers in Downing Street with whom we are in continuous relation by correspondence. Most of the officers here are necessarily working for people who are living under conditions unknown to them. That is more true of tropical countries or those in which there are coloured races, but it applies to some extent to the great self-governing Dominions. We had one illustration here in relation to the Emigration Board, showing that even when they were dealing with our own people and our own circumstances, a most regrettable want of knowledge and a most distinct want of sympathy were displayed. I do not see how any effort on the part of able men here can suffice unless they are assisted by direct means of knowledge and of assimilation. The body politic would be unhealthy, and must remain unhealthy, as our own would if the circulation of its blood were impeded, and so must this office unless there is some continuous intercommunication of a personal character kept up. We have suggested in this resolution several means. We propose that men of experience in the outer Dominions might be selected to fill some vacancies that occur here. Ido not know enough of your system of appointment and promotions in the public service in tfiis country to judge how far that is practicable, but the suggestion made is that, where practicable, such appointments when made might be extremely advantageous What seems much more feasible are temporary interchanges or, at all events, periodical visits of officers. The idea we had in temporary exchanges was that just as we are now sending our military officers to Canada, to South Africa, and to this country to complete their training as members of the military service here, while British officers come to us to gain colonial experience, there might be a similar advantage from an interchange of officiafs, of about the same salary and standing, so far as it could be arranged between this office and the Colonies. We have always some military officers away from Australia, gaining experience of service elsewhere. Why should not some of our civil officers be employed here, their places being taken in our country by the officers whose -work here they would for the time being assume '. By this means we should obtain in each office men who after being twelve months in the other country would have gradually absorbed a great deal of that knowledge which is necessary for the interpretation of despatches, especially on important subjects where tfiey are affected either by local conditions or local situations. That is a method which would only involve something for travelling expenses. It would not be expensive, and might prove extremely valuable also to the men from the Dominions over the seas who were temporarily employed in this office. They would be able to

Fifteenth Day. 14 May 1907.

Interchange of Permanent Staff. (Mr. Deakin.)