FOR AUSTRALIA

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 147, 19 December 1930, Page 11

FOR AUSTRALIA

HIGH COMMISSIONER APPOINTMENT EXPECTED CROWN UNREPRESENTED

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyilght. LONDON, 9th December. Tho announcement of the appointment of a Bi'itish High Commissioner to Australia can be expected in the near future. Apparently tho British Government fully realises the remarkable situation that has arisen as a sequel to the appointment of Sir Isaac Isaacs as Gov-ernor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, being tho only Dominion having no British representative. It is believed that the question of a suitable, appointee is now being considered. It will be necessary to enter into full consultation with all the Dominions in accordance with the Imperial Conference resolutions before an appointment is made, and the High Com-1 missioner must be approved by Mr. Scullin in the same manner as foreign I countries approve ambassadors. It is understood that Mr. Scullin approves the principle, and the same practice will be followed as with South Africa —no official statement will be made until the appointment is actually announced by the King, but tho Commissioner will primarily be the British Government's channel for carrying out most of tho duties Governors-General performed before becoming solely the King's personal representative. He will probably bo stationed at Canberra, with a staff of British Government officials.

AUSTRALIA AUTONOMOUS?

Lord Stanley. of Alderley, formerly Governor of Victoria, in a letter to the editor of "The Times," draws attention to the answer of Mr. J. H. Thomas (Secretary for the Dominions) &i the House of Commons on 3rd December that he had seen Mr. Scullin, with a view of expediting the Victorian, settlers ' inquiry. He is of opinion that the answer suggests that the Secretary of. State was using the Prime Minister both as a channel of communication and as an authority empowered to direct and instruct the States, in which connection recent events suggest that neither the Imperial Conference nor Britain fully considered Australia's special constitution. "I am unable," writes Lord Stanley, "to reconcile the declaration that Australia is an autonomous community with the Commonwealth's lack of authority in the large field of governmental activities of the States, whose heads are appointed on the advice of British Ministers. Presumably the Royal instructions to the Governor-General have been altered to fit the Conference's decisions, but it is not yet announced that the State Governors' instructions have been modified. A DILEMMA. "If explicit instructions regarding the withholding of the Koyal absent to certain legislation be unaltered, it is clear that Australia is not an autonom- j ous community, nor can it be made so ' by the transference of the power of disallowance to the Governor-General. Yet the withdrawing- of those disallowing powers would enlarge the States' powers beyond what was contemplated by federation.

"Moreover, it is anomalous—if there be autonomy—that the State Governor should be appointablc on the recommendation of the British Minister. But the giving to Commonwealth Ministers of power to recommend the appointment of State Governors would be contrary to the spirit of the Constitution.' 3