COLONIAL OFFICE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17989, 5 February 1924, Page 9

COLONIAL OFFICE.

THE NEW SECRETARY. A CAPABLE HEAD. (Br CABLE—PHZSS ASSOCIATION COFTE.23E?.) (Sydney "Sub"' Ss3vics.) LONDON, February 3. Sir Sidney Low in an article in the ''Despatch," commending Mr MacDonald's appointment of Mr Thomas to tho Colonial Office, describes him as probably the most energetic und capable of the genuine Labourites. "His appointment,*' says Sir Sidney, ''will help to bring home to Labour and to the English working classes generally a deeper, wider consciousness of the meaning and character of the Empire for whose governance and guidance they now are largely responsible. Tho attitude of the majority of labouring people towards the outer Empire has been distrustful. The words 'lmperial' and 'Empire' stick in their throats. There still is a good deal of prejudice against overseas expansion, handed down from early Victorian times. Tho nineteenth century Radicals and Liberals did not much liko the Empire. To them it boro tho taint of monopoly, privilege and militarism.

"We are not peopling the vast potentially rich Britannic areas beyond the ceas fast enough for their safety or ours. This failure is partly due to tho prejudice of trade union leaders and orators inherited from their Radical progenitors. They have not been enthusiastic over State-aided or philanthropic emigration schemes and sometimes suspected them of being mere devices of tho well-to-do for shipping the poor and ill-paid to distant lands instead of properly providing for them at home. ''"Mr Thomas as a trade union Colonial Secretary may do much to counteract this. Ho will have opportunities of couvincing his followers that Britain cannot endure a steady increase of insular population. The surplus must go abroad or sink into misery. I believe that if tho British people are still to play a part politically and industrially on tho world stage they must have a larger island than this of ours. There is a larger island ready for them in Australia, which stands to Asia as Britain to Europe. Australia is tho greater Britain of the future, if we don't put off the future too long, till others take it from -us." THE KING'S HOUSEHOLD. (by cable—ritEss associatioh cor-ntio-HT.) (Sydney "Sua'' Service.) LONDON, February 4. Minor Ministerial appointments include the following posts in the King's household:— Mr Tom Griffiths, M.P., Secretary. Mr J. Parkinson, M.P., Comptroller. Mr J. Davison, M.P., Vice-Cham-berlain. Mr Griffiths began life as a 'half-time tinplato worker, earning 4d daily. Mr Parkinson was a haljE-time worker in tho mines, and Mr Davison was a worker in a boot factory. The duties of the new appointments are mainly nominal. j TREASURY COMMISSIONERS. (BOTTEE'S T3I.EGHASIS.) LONDON, February 3. The balance of Ministerial appointments is now announced as follows: Lords Commissioners of the Treasury: • —Messrs William Graham, Frederick Hall, Thomas Kennedy, and John Robertson —all Labour MJ?.'s, POLICY OF CO-OPERATION. MESSAGE FROM MR THOMAS. (PfiE33 ASSOCIATIOH' TELBOBAM.) WELLINGTON, February 4. The following telegram was received by his Excellency the Governor-General from Mr J. H. Thomas, on taking office, as Secretary of State for the Colonies:—■ "I would ask you to assure your Prime Minister of my earnest'desire to preserve and strengthen the system of consultation and cooperation between tho several Governments on all matters of mutual concern. My first aim will always be to promote the interests of the British Commonwealth, and I feel sure I can count upon receiving from yourself and your Prime Minister, tho sam© measure of assistance and advice extended to my predecessors.—Thomas." Tho following reply has been forwarded by Mr Massey through tho Governor-General:— "On his return to New ZoaLand my Prime Minister desires mo to thank you for the message contained in your telegram of_ January 24th, and to convoy his congratulations to you on your assuming the seals of the Colonial Office. He states that Tie feels sure that the harmonious relationship which has existed heretofore will be continued during, . your tenure of office, and that it will afford him the greatest pleasure to co-operate in all matters having for their object the common good of the Governments of the Empire."