HIGH COMMISSIONER APPOINTMENT OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 28, 1 August 1912, Page 3

HIGH COMMISSIONER APPOINTMENT OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED

HON. T. MACKENZIE EULOGISED. THREE YEARS' TERM. The appointment of the Hon. T. Mackenzie as High Commissioner for New Zealand was officially announced by the Prime Minister in the Houso of Representatives ' after The Post went to press yesterday. The Prime Minister (the Hon. W. F. Massey) said that the Government had offered the position to the Hon. T. Mackenaie and that gentleman had intimated his intention of accepting it. He need hardly, he said, point to the long commercial experience which the hon. gentleman had apart from his experience as a Minister of the Crown. With his qualifications and his experience he would be able to do credit to himself J and the Dominion. In the next few days he intended to ask His Excellency the Governor to make the appointment. The Government had made arrangements with Mr. Palliser to carry on the work until the arrival of the new- High Commissioner in London, and he was certain Mr. Pal'iser's work would be satisfactory. Sir Joseph Ward : How long is the term of the appointment? The Premier : Three years. SfR JOSEPH WARD'S TRIBUTE. Sir Joseph Ward said ho desired to congratulate Mr. Mackenzie on his appointment. He believed that the hon. gentleman, with his long experience, would carry out- the work entrusted to him with credit and he hoped, he would be successful. He could heartily endorse the encomiums passed on Mr. Palliser's work. Mr. Palliser deserved very well of this country. He was a very careful man who would do his duty and do it welJ. He could only add that ho had heard the announcement with a great deal of interest. Every member of the House, he felt sure, would wish Mr. Mackenzie every success. MEMBER FOR AVON. Mr. G. W. Ruwell said he merely desired, as one of Mr. Mackenzie's late colleagues, to congratulate him on attaining to the position which was tho blue ribbon of public cervieo <to one's country. They all knew him as a man of indomitable energy, intrepid courage, and untiring ability. They would all wish him every success in the high position to which he had been called. BACK YARD OFFICES. Mr. T. M. Wilford said that in congratulating Mr. Mackenzie on his appomtment they should not forgot tho good work done by Sir William Hall Jones in the past as High Commissioner. He also desired to draw attention to tho position in which -the High " Commissioner's offices were at present located. They were situated in a 6treet through which people did not pass in any numbers. Nothing was being ' dono to Isfc iho peoplo in London know what Nuw Zealand was doing. Sir George Reid (High Commissioner for the Commonwoalth) was a man ' in a million. Ho possessed 6ocial qualities which resulted in his being invited to almost every social function. He was so well' known that Australia was being daily advertised through the very fact that 'she had such a man as High "Commissioner. Mr. Mackenzie would fill the bill bo far as his undoubted qualifications of looking after New Zealand's commercial and producing interests was concerned, but there v&& another sido to the office— the social side; and it would have to bo looked after. He declared that the salary of the High Commissioner wae quite inadequarte. If a man accepted invitations it ran into a great deal of expense./ Ho understood that tho High Commissionei for the Commonwealth recently had his salary largely increased, and he had also been furnished with a motor-car. New Zealand shoidd at once get rid -of her present London officer, and if room could not be got with tho Commonwealth offices a site Bhould be secured somewhere near them. One could not pass through many leading streets of London without being attracted by something relating to Canada or- Australia* Ho did not want -to go into the matter of the extraordinary ignorance regarding Now Zealand at Home. We were known to people, but farmers knew nothing about us. New Zealand should also be represented in somo way in the United States. On the boat on which he came out 75 per cent, of tho passengers were Americans, and one of them informed him that there was not a ( single place in New York where information could be got about New Zealand. This country was very much in tho background so. far as advertising was concerned. He lepeated that tho salary of the High Commissioner should be increased, and that the offices should an onco be removed to a more central sit *, otherwise wo would go along unsoughb and unknown. A FARMERS' REPRESENTATIVE. The Hon. D. Buddq also added his congratulations, and said that the office —apart from the social and financial sido ■—was primarily one which should he filled by a farmers' representative. He referred to Mi 1 . Mackenzie's services in London as representative of various cooperative producing companies, and said that he would certainly fill the bill. liR. MACKENZIE IN REPLY. Tn reply, the Hon. My. Mackenzie said he was deadly conscious of the very high honour which had boen. conferred on him. Ho believed tho action of the Government had been prompted by a consideration of the best interests of tho Dominion, and he sineeidy thanked those gentlemen who had spoken for the references they had mado to wnat they regarded as his qualification*. Ho knew the work in London was of an arduous and responsible nature, and that financial matteis required the closest care. Whether he would succeed ha could not say, but he would do his best. Some of the most important work that coiild be done was in relation to accessibility of trade with continental countries. He intended to lay some ideas he had before the Government. He said he was also pleased to hear tho remarks which had been made regarding Mr Palliser's work. It was not his intention to speak further beyond extending his deepest thanks for the references made to himself. Ho was encouraged by the letters he had received from all parts of New Zealand, by the attitude of his own constituents, and by the Press notices regarding himself. But he had not by his own act communicated these to the Government. In conclusion, he said he wonld do his best to justify the selection which had been made. ' (Applause. )