Concern has been raised regarding the ability of New Zealand to provide the extra layer of Principality Officers needed, particularly given commonly-expressed concerns regarding difficulties in filling group officer positions.
When New Zealand first joined Lochac, an Australian advised us to quickly go Principality so we could train ourselves up to be Kingdom Officers one day. By 2010, Kiwis (13% of the Kingdom's populace) held five Kingdom Offices, and most years we’ve contributed 3+. As of Feb 2021, there are eight Kiwi Kingdom Officers or Deputies; Kiwis continue to apply for positions.
That’s in addition to 40+ years of filling the offices to support currently two Baronies, a Canton, a Shire and six Hamlets, as well as the SCANZ governance representatives. True, there typically aren’t long queues of keen people vying for an office - but that has always been the case since the very beginnings of the SCA in NZ back in 1982. And yet, we persist….
A Principality structure could change that for the better. Good Principality officers can listen, respond, inspire, enthuse, plan and provide practical support for local officers. Unlike Kingdom Officers, who deal with broad workloads/geography and often-specifically Australian issues/distractions, local higher officers can focus on the issues and opportunities for NZ groups, and help develop coordinated approaches and solutions. Most importantly, they could do this year after year, producing the same kind of consistent, steady improvements which have helped grow Canterbury Faire - but at group and national level.
This layer of officers could make it easier to find new group officers, not less. That's because issues like recruitment, retention and officer rotation would get meaningful, persistent attention from officers whose job it is to consistently work to lessen such problems, and build on strategic opportunities.
But what if we ended up with the mediocre or ineffectual Principality Officers, which some fear might happen? Then we’d also have a much better context for understanding, recognising and fixing problems, through greater awareness and personal understanding of (and contact with) the individuals involved. Our growing distance-management experience under COVID could even make such regional support and communications easier.
I believe that we are facing a valuable opportunity at present - to noticeably improve the game in New Zealand, to make management (and hence officer roles) easier at Kingdom level and, potentially - at least in the long run - to change the game at the Society level so it is more inclusive and representative than it feels to many of us right now. At all three levels - local, Kingdom and Society - we'd be less likely to be harmed by random stuff-ups, competing demands and mishaps, and so we'd be much better placed for a healthy future. - Master Bartholomew Baskin OP (former Kingdom Seneschal, SCANZ Treasurer & Landed Baron)
A Principality could encourage greater engagement from those who've taken a step back and who would prefer to play in a bigger pond to make a significant difference at a larger level. It’s not uncommon for long-serving Peers and ex-landed B&Bs to take a step back from local affairs, to avoid blocking opportunities for relatively newer and less-experienced folk. A Principality gives them somewhere to usefully deploy their skills while growing local experience. (Some such folk have already expressed a willingness to put up their hands for such roles.)