"A GREAT IMPERIALIST"

Press, 1 February 1930, Page 8

"A GREAT IMPERIALIST"

BRITISH EMPIRE LEAGUE LUNCH-

TRIBUTES TO THE HIGH COMMISSIONER.

IM"II OCR OUK COBEESPO.VDBSrr.) LONDOi~ December 19. On Monday, Sir James Parr as High Commissioner took leave of his fellowcountrymen at the New Zealand Association luncheon. On Tuesday the British Empire Club held a luncheon in his honour. It was on this second occasion that Sir James, at the end of a long speech, definitely proclaimed his intention of returning to London to take an active part in the Empire free trade campaign. Lord Islington, who presided, in proposing the principal toast, said that twenty years ago he had had the opportunity to be brought into very close contact with Sir James Parr, who occupied the position of Mayor of Auckland. "I occupied at that time," Lord Islington continued, 'the position of Governor of the Dominion, and 1 was in close and constant touch with him. Seeing the great qualities he possessed I am not the least surprised to find that he has steadily gone forward until he occupies one of the most important positions in the Dominion.'' Education in Kew Zealand. Anyone who visited Auckland to-day would be told by his guide that many of its charms, many of its more prominent embellishments, were due to Sir James Parr, said Lord Islington. During his five years as Mayor he occupied himself more especially in the promotion of higher and better education for tho city. He did not desist in that endeavour. He did not limit bis efforts to Auckland. In du-3 course he occupied successively very nearly every portfolio of the Cabinet. For some years he had the wider opportunity offered to him In the position of Minister for Education, and undoubtedly the education of New Zealand —a very fair model of what education should be—was due in no small measure to the active participation and stimulus Sir James Parr applied to it. In due course the most important pott probably that is available to a public man of the Dominion came to Sir James Parr. The duties of High Commissioner were important and extremely varied. The High Commissioner was asked to take an important representative part in the proceedings of any Imperial Conference that might be taking place. During Sii James's period of office he took part ,n the Imperial Economic Conference and the Wireless and Communications Conference, both most important and of verv great significance to the Empire. He had also acted with the greatest distinction as representative for New Zealand at the Assemblies of the League of Nations, and therefore fie had had the verv widest field of world politics under his attention during the years of his High 6ion>?rshipA Great CompLunont. But apart from these wider public duties there were the more technical duties. Certainly, Sir James Parr had not flagged behind with regard to anv of them. I" extending the markets for New Zealand products, Sir James had irreverently been called the best Imperial bagman. He was sure Sir James took the appellation in the proper spirit and as a great compliment. Ir. addition. Sir James had alwavs <?hown himself not only a great New Zealandor. but also a great Imperialist We were living in difficult times, and hj" could not help feeling that the more we realised the possibilities of our Commonwealth of Nations, and the more we brought them into our

service for economic, industrial, and commercial purposes the better it would be for the world. Sir James had placed in the very forefront of bis life and his ambition that great Imperial ideal. ll© was quite confident that the career that lay behind Sir James was onlv the forerunner of a greater career for him in tbe years to come. Mr Amery, in supporting the toast, said that Lord Islington had not in £«ny way exaggerated the success which Sir Jnmes Parr had made of the High Oomraissioner.ship. It was not often a man with so modest a personal demeanour had Ven such a remarkable success in bagmanship He had fulfilled a bv no means unimportant duty of a High Commissioner—that of emphatically writing New Zealand on the map in this country His activities had not only been in London. He bad made it an' essential part of his work to go un and down Great Britain and to "familiarise tbe people with what New Zealand was and what it stood for. Boyalty and Loyalty. Sir James Parr first of all referred to the Governors of New Zealand and to the appointment of Lord Bledisloe. This long line of distinguished representatives of the Crown had taken a great part In maintaining the close contact with the Motherland and tbe loyalty that distinguished the Dominion. The visits of Royalty to New Zealand and the great sister Dominion of Australia have done much to create the personal attachment between the common men and the common women of these great countries to the Crown itself. Ihe High Commissioner spoke of the improvement in the status of the High Commissioner's Office. People in high places had recognised that a great change had come over the British world since the momentous declaration of 1926, which established tbe equalitv of the Dominions with the Motherland. It was only right that a High Commissioner of a ereat country like Canada, for instance, with its 10,000,000 people, should not walk very far behind the Ambassadors of foreign countries. "The High Commissioner ought to be a commercial man " said Sir James. "Tt is not beneath the distnity of his great office to sten down into trade to promote a.s best he can the trade of his countrv with the Motherland T have made it mv main rdnnk *>nd I resrard the 'Manchester Guardian's' reference to me as a snner-s«lesmnn as a great compliment *' Th e TTigh Commissioner "oncbided with the proclamation of his future ictivities in favour of Empire Free Trade.