THE HIGH COMMISSIONER

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14343, 1 May 1912, Page 8

THE HIGH COMMISSIONER

As the Prime Minister's public utterances arc confined, on tho whale, to generalities, ami his colleagues are only too glad to imitato his example, political gossip, it* appears, is forced to turn a pain to tho question of tho new High Commissioner. We do not consider it necessary to discuss tho merits or demerits of tho various leading politicians whose names are suggested for tho post. We still hold that the Government have no constitutional right to make so important an appointment heforo they have proved that they possess tho confidence of tho country as expressed by Parliament. It will ba quite time enough to talk about tho appointment of n successor to Sir William HallJones when the Ministry can justifiably claim that they are entitled to make the appointment. At present all speculation on the point is mere beating of the wind. Apart from tho general impropriety that would attach to tho unauthorised exercise of the Government's power of appointment to important positions, there is this to bo considered, that tho re-organisation of tho High Commissioner's office must ho a leading featuro in the policy of any Government that comes into power, and as the Mackenzie Government cannot carry out a policy measure -without ifirst submitting it to the approval of Parliament, they cannot, without an infraction of constitutional principles, choose tho man by whom the reorganisation of the London office must bo carried out. Sir William Hall-Jones is said to have given the Government a pressing intimation of his desire to bo relieved of tho duty, but even if ho cannot bo prevailed upon to retain tho High Commisaionerahip for a few months Jongex, there is no imperative necessity for tho immediate appointment of his successor. Wo have managed to get along quite happily for several months on more than on© occasion with an Acting-Prime- Minister, and wo bavo no doubt that the duties of the London office could be carried on satisfactorily for a time by an Acting-High Commissioner- Sir "William's desire* to return to £h© Dominion affords the Government no excuk> for committing an improper and unconstitutional act.

Mr Havelock Wilson's ignorance of the constitution of the Board of Trade is probably not quite so profound as ho led his Auckland audience to believe tho other night, when ho said that for the past twenty years ho had been striving to find out what and where tho Board of Trade was. Tho Board is a department of Government which was established about tho year IGGO, "for the consideration of all matters relating to Trade and tho Plantations," i.e., the colonies. Jt was originally a oommitteo of tho Privy Council, T>ut why the Archbishop of Canterbury, and" tho Lord Chancellor wore—and are still —members of it, passes comprehension. But, perhaps fortunately, their membership is merely an honorary sinecuro; the Board, so far as its work is concerned, consists of the President, with Parliamentary and permanent secretaries, and a staff, enppleineutcd by export advisory committoea.

The Board indeed is a much more useful body than its nominal membership would euggeat. It touchoa tho commercial and 'industrial life of the country at many points, and no whero moro closely than in respect to the mercantile marine. ' ; Tho Board of Trade," says Mr T. H. Escott, "may bo said to take cha-rgo of a ship from tho cradle- to the grave. It keeps a record of all new ships, it can taracc their voyages, and has a.list of the passengers and crows whom they havo upon any occasion carried. Hence the offices of the Board of Trade witness nruch that is touching, and contain tho record of much that is noble." The Board is also deeply interested in railways, and in labour matters, and ono of its officials who has como prominently before the public during tho last year or two, is Sir George Askwith, who has some claim to bo regarded as tho "champion conciliator."

Our cablo news affords another instance of tho danger of keeping firearms near ono'e bedside. A man in the United States, awakening from a dream about burglars, and hearing a man attempting to gain entrance to the house by means of the front door, fired a shot-gun through the window blind. Tho result was that his brother, who was returning homo late, was killed instantly. A similar case camo before the Surrey Assizes in England several years ago. A retired tradesman was charged with killing his wifo. It appeared that after giving up business to live on his means, the accused man became soized with a constant apprehension that ho would lip robbed, and kept a pistol at hi; bedhoad ready for use in ca&o burglars should enter tho house. Ono night the wife remained up lato, reading, and tlie husband went to In>d and to sleep. As his wifo entered the room quietly without a light, the unfortunate husband woke up, and seeing a figure in the doorway, thought at onco of burglars, seized his pistol and firal. killing his wife on the spot. The iinhappy man, overcome' with grief, afterwards became insane, and was ordered to be detained in an asylum.

Tho worst of a so-called Liber.il Government is that when its members

are really in power, and in a position to do things, they are apathetic on j questions of social reform and turn a deaf ear to suggestions for improve- ! tuents. When they are iv office with- j out au assured majority and in im- : minent dread of being turned out liko .j tho present Ministry, nothing can i exceed their zeal and activity. Far ! years wo urged the lato Government | to take up in enrnest the question t-.f i the medical inspection of schools. Ithas been left for Mr Hanau Jo show j any real interest in the matter- Eight ' years ago wo pointed out that in a number of lending ports outside of New Zealand, steamers were connected with tho telephone- as soon as they cast anchor in the harbour or were moored at a wharf. We urged that the same thing might be done in Now Zealand. Again tho suggestion fell, on deaf ears. Wo really believe, however, that tho thing will now bo done- if Mr Ell is given a little time. It begins to make one wonder whether responsible Government is not a mistake, and whether a stop-gap 'Ministry without a majority is not tho best Ministry for doing things after all. Unfortunately however, one knows too well that tho stop-gap Ministry would be as nnathoti? as tho rest but for the fact that a majority is necessary and it knows itwill jjo out unless it can do something to gain one. Hence this feverish desire to do something in the shape of administrativo reform to justify its existence.