COMMISSIONER IN AMERICA.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16985, 6 November 1920, Page 7

COMMISSIONER IN AMERICA.

-* WATCHING DOMINION'S INTEKESTS. (special to "the press.") "WELLINGTON. November o. A return to the question of the representation of New Zealand in tho J United States was made in the House of j Representatives this afternoon oy til© , leader of the Opposition (Mr T. 31. "W il- j ford), who reminded tho Prime Minis- j I tor that he had referred to the same j matter earlier in the session, when the j . Prime Minister had stated that- ail : announcement would be made later. It j was a matter of remark when lie was in j California recently, said Mr "Gilford, j that- New Zealand Jiad no official repro- j sentative there. As long ago as J-91-ho attended a banquet m New when a prominent financier f\\ all street expressed surprise that Aew Zea- ! land did not recognise the possibilities of business in America and have proper representation. The difficulty that tHe | Prime Mini-tor would havo to face ■would t bo to, fix an adequate salary. It would have to be very much larger than for officials in Britain, for m the United ) States the cost of living was away up in the skies. For a man to bo ablo to lire properly and not look like a pauper, he would have to receive about £50€0 . a year. ! Mr Mn.sspy said that the matter had ' not been forgotten, but no definite de- : cision had yet been reached. He knew ! that the salary was a difficulty. It : would not be possible to get a man to represent New Zealand properly for less than £"2000 a year and possibly more I would be needed. The question was ■whether we should bo getting value for what we would have to pay a man to represent us properly. There was another matter whMi he had thoujrht it necessnrv to tnko into consideration. Everyone could see that important political chancres were coming in "America. It was not known how that was troinc: to affect- us. and lie had thought it wise to see what the changes were and how they were likely to af- I feet our markets. FTe himself was in j symmthv with Veopininr tho American market open. "When the Panama Paci- | fie exhibition was held he recommended paying of our money to have New Zealand represented there. That was done. ITe did fTihik we should keep our American markets open.