THE HIGH COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE.

Evening Star, Issue 14788, 1 February 1912, Page 7

THE HIGH COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE.

MUST BE .SHAKEN UP. Mr E. J. Coates, LL.B., barrister and solicitor, of Darj-aviile, who recently returned from a 12 months' tour of the Continent and Great Britain, hca some interesting things to say .-.bout the High Commissioner's 0(Roo in London. He considers that Xcw Zealand is far behind Canada in it 3 advertising methods in the Old Land with a view to inducing pcoplo to emigrate to the Dominion. The work of the High Commissioner ij chiefly confined to office routine, and a circumstance ■which renders this lees effective is the fact that the officials, though very courteous, have no knowledge of colonial life. They have continually to refer to books to supply commonplace information asked for, and the knowledge given is not stamped with great value. Mr Coatcs thinks that a Now Zcalandor or two amongst the under staff would bo a great improvement. Throughout Great Britain Mr Coatee met Canadian lecturers giving illustrated discourscG to tho people, which -were eagerly listened to and largelv at- ! tended. This example might bo followtd with advantage by New Zeaalnd in London. One day Mr Coates looked across tho street, and saw a dozen sandwichmen placarded back and front with posters bearing the inscription : " Why don't you go to Canada, tho place to mafic roonev.'" These were marched in Indian file down through the crowd, and attracted the attention of thousands. Nothing in this direction of popular advertisement of New Zealand was seen by Mr Coates, who thinks that Canada has a specialist at work in London, and gets her money's worth, but hs questions whether our Dominion ia as much to the front as she ought to be.