HIGH COMMISSIONERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 16, 20 January 1926, Page 7

HIGH COMMISSIONERS.

POLITICS AND COMMERCE. OBJECTION TO DUAL ROLE. SIR JAMES ALLEN'S VIEWS. (By Cable.— Association.— (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, January 19. The High Commissioners, including Sir Joseph Cook and Sir James Allen, axe almost unanimously averse to proposals from Australia to reconstitute London representation on a dual basis, political and commercial. In reference to political, it is pointed | out that Canada and Queensland have j both tried that policy and abandoned it. j Canada's experiment, by which Mr. ■ Purley was a member of the Ministry : as well as High Commissioner, was abandoned after three years' experience. Mr. Purley ultimately resigned from the { Cabinet, but remained High Commissioner. Similarly Mr. Garrick was Agent-Gen-eral and member of the Queensland Ministry for four years, but the experiment was not repeated. With reference to the suggested subdivision of the High Commissioner ship into two separate offices, diplomatic and commercial. Sir Joseph Cook and Sir James Allen concur that such a course is practically impossible. Sir Joseph Cook and Sir James Allen, speaking with several years' experience, declared that financial and commercial activities are so closely interwoven with the High Commissioners' other duties, it is impossible to separate them without detriment. They welcomed a Trade Commissioner in the highest capacity, but only as an official of the High Commissioner's Department. Any attempt to endow a Trade Commissioner with something approaching co-equal powers would not only be unprecedented but fraught with the danger of conflicting authority. (A. and N.Z. Cable.)