A QUESTIONABLE APPOINTMENT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 162, 6 April 1944, Page 4

A QUESTIONABLE APPOINTMENT

When the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) was asked in the House of Representatives last week whether it were true that the Government was considering appointing two defeated Labour candidates at the last general election to diplomatic posts overseas, he evaded the question. “I am not in a position to make a statement he said, it the Leader of the Opposition will see me privately I will tell him v y I cannot do so.” What Mr. Fraser subsequently told Mr. Holland has not been disclosed, but yesterday’s announcement of the appointment to Canberra of Mr. J. G. Barclay, former Minister of. Agriculture, speaks for itself. It remains to be seen whether this plain example of political preference—the announcement of which, for some unexplained reason, could not be made when Parliament was in session, and when its propriety could have been immediately questioned -will be repeated in the case of Mr. C. W. Boswell, former Labour member for the Bay of Islands, whose name was mentioned as a possible appointee as New Zealand Minister to Moscow. Mr. Barclay when approached on Friday last is lepoitedto nave stated that he knew nothing about the overseas appointment. Apparently,” he added, “the Press is better informed than am., You can say'that lam looking at a farm with a view to purchase. Coming from one who, within five days, was to be rewarded with status this reply contrasted unhappily with the requirements o. the former Minister’s new role. But there are much more serious grounds than that for the disapproval which will be very widely felt over this appointment. In the first place it is a breach of the law which provides that former members of Parliament may not accef t paid posts under the Crown within 12 months of their ceasing to be members. The present Government has over-ridden this law on other occasions, by means of special legislation validating appoin - ments, and no doubt the same thing will be done m this case B u Al e moral position, far from being corrected by this means, is i a y h g made worse. It must be obvious to every thinking citizen that the practice of permitting rejected Parliamentary candidates to accep Government appointments, without the lapse of a suitablc i < of time is most undesirable. Ihat is why the law foibids , for a Government to. nullify this law whenever it finds such action convenient is open, on ethical grounds, to the gravest objection. Then there is the all-important matter of individual quahheatio is for the post itself. The position of High Commissioner m Australia is 011° which is bound to become ot increasing responsibility. loi this reason the successor to Mr. Berendsen, who brought to his office a long and thorough training in Imperial affairs, should be chosen with the utmost care. Mr. Barclay has had none of the training o his predecessor has no background of experience recommending him a Commissionership; indeed, he has exh,b,ted no qualmes wine ■ justify recognition in this particular direction. Moi covet as a c £2 r’eUd last Somber by e eelor-i Marsden e onhl SX’I. 2 X -st .Me men aea,ladle Moi .his £ The 5 apiSment ot a dolcatld candidate would be open Io strong objection. .