"HONOURABLE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 233, 1 October 1937, Page 11

"HONOURABLE."

MR. WILLIAM JORDAN.

SUGGESTIONS FOR TITLE. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S POST. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. A suggestion that the New Zealand High Commissioner in London, Mr. W. J. Jordan, should have some title conferred upon him commensurate with the importance of the office he holds was made by Mr. E. J. Howard (Government, Christchureh South) when sepaking in the debate on the report of the Imperial Conference in the House of Representatives to-day. J "May\l put in a plea that the High Commissioner should have a title?" said Mr. Howard, who was one of the New Zealand delegates to the Empire Parliamentary Association Conference in London. There was some laughter at the proposal, but Mr. Howard continued: "Hon. members may laugh, but you have got to get the atmosphere of England to understand what is behind my. suggestion. I don't know that I would want him to be a sir or a lord, but I do think he should carry the title of 'Honourable.'" At "functions in England* one heard guests announced as "Honour - ables" and "Rt. Honourables," and then "Bill Jordan." That cheapened New Zealand's representative, declared Mr. Howard, and'he for one would be glad to *iee at least the title of ''Honourable" conferred on whoever held the office of High Commissioner.

Mr. Howard, in praising the work of the High Commissioner ■ and his staff, said: "To put it plainly, Bill Jordan fits in. Let it be at a League of Nations Conference, in the House of Commons, at any function you can think of, Bill fits in, and that is the type of man we want to represent us in England." The offices at present occupied by the High Commissioner were described by Mr. Howard as quite unsuitable for the purpose, and he asked that'action should be taken to improve the under which Mr. Jordan and his staff worked. INCOME TAX FRAUDS. i PROSECUTIONS URGED (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON", Thursday. The Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, was asked by Dr. McMillan (Government, Dunedin West) in the House of Representatives to-day to give instructions that all those who are found to be defrauding the Income Tax Department be prosecuted with the same rigour that the Employment Department prosecutes those who defraud the Employment Promotion Fuud.

The member indicated the provocation for the question by detailing the distressing personal circumstances of a Dunedin man who had been recently fined for not disclosing earnings which resulted in overdrawing from the Employment Fund a sum of £8 141.