The Hawera Star. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1926. THE NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 25 February 1926, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1926. THE NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER.

Dallvered every evening by 6 o'clock In Ho were, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawo, Eltb&m, Mangafcoki, Kaponga, Alton, Hurleyvflle, Fateo, Waverley, Mokolo, Whokomira, Ohangoi, Meremere, Fraoor Rood. and Ararat*.

Neither unexpected nor unwelcome is the announcement of Sir James Parr’s appointment to the position of New Zealand! High Commissioner in- London. The Auckland Minister lias behind him a record of solid service for the Dominion, both in the municipal and political fields, and, while few would claim for him even a minor portion of that distinction which, mattes men’s names immortal, his term of office at the head of the Education Department has demonstrated alike his progressive ideas and his administrative courage. It is essential in a High Commissioner, while that office involves all it does at present, that lie have an intimate knowledge of his Dominion with her needs and resources, and that he be in sympathy with the aspirations of her people.. Undoubtedly Sir James Parr fulfils these requirements. Happily', he is a New Zealander born —a country boy whose professional life later gave him experience of city conditions^ —with a New Zealander’s vision of the inherent greatness of his country; yet his Imperial sentiment, if inclined to be somewhat crude and bizarre in its methods of expression—there was that compulsory saluting, of the flag, to say nothing of the teachers’ oath of allegiance—is fully as deeply rooted as was that, of the late Mr Massey'. Infinitely more friendly in bearing than Sir James Allen, and easier of approach by the. man of ordinary clay, the new appointee will gain in that direction possibly more than he will lose by comparison with the present High Commissioner an higher political and diplomatic circles at. Home. Even in his days as Minister of Defence here, Sir Janies Allen rarely received a petitioner without somehow conveying an impression of patronage. In that his manner did him an injustice, for at heart Sir James was. and is, one of the truest and best of men. Still, manner has to be reckoned with, and more than once, since lie went to London Sir. James Allen has been criticised for liis seeming coldness and distance —in reality nothings more than dignified reserve. Sir James Parr, on the other hand, is able—and without cheapening himself—to welcome callers gladly and to exhibit a lively interest in their cases. It is a happy knack which should win him many friends in his new office. Periodically the suggestion is put forward that the diplomatic and trade-agency functions' of the High Commissionership should be separated, and possibly the next three years may see something' attempted along those lines. It is no reflection on Sir James Parr to say. that, in the event of the duties being divided, he would be. more suitable for the commercial than the ambassadorial post. Sir James Allen, on the contrary, would fill the latter admirably. Indeed, we should bo glad to see both gentlemen established in London in these respective departments of Dominion representation, although that is a development hardly to be expected.

'Of much less import, but possibly as prominent in public interest as the appointment now announced, will be the fresh shuffle of Cabinet portfolios whic.h must attend it, the choice of a new Minister, or Ministers, and the result of the by-ele.ction in Edien. Nothing is to be done in the first connection until after the close of the financial year, according to what the Prime Minister told our Wellington correspondent yesterday, but already the prophets are active. The annual expenditure on Education has grown now to a figure which' makes that one of tlie major portfolios in the Ministry, even, if it should not be regarded as such by virtue of its intimate relation with the future of the Dominion. Successful Ministers of Education can no doubt bo made, as well as born, but the post is not. one which would appeal 1o all politicians, and certainly it is one which many of them would make a. sorry pretence of filling. Mr Coates has five weeks at least in. which to review the gifts of members of. his team, but it might take considerably longer to find a Minister of Education to come up to the standard of the' last

| two —Sir James Parr and the Hon. J 'A. Hanan. It seems probable that at any rate one further addition to Cabinet will-be made at the same time as Sir James Parr’s successor is announced. The claims of possible candidates for selection may well await discussion until a later date; but we nurse the hope that the Prime Minister may stand true to the country by refusing to be swayed' by such- considerations as North versus- South, or urban versus rural representation. Our Wellington correspondent, in a despatch which we print to-day, names two members who are regarded as being “in the hunt” for the reason that they represent city or suburban constituencies. The qualifications of one of the them do s not come up to those of the weakest member in the present- Cabinet. If Mr Coates is going to allow his pursuit of efficiency to be hindered by admitting more inefficients, New Zealand will be sadly disappointed—and disillusioned. Meanwhile, the Eden by-election will holcf the stage, and there seems prospect of a close contest. The Reform Party is losing no time in getting to work within the electorate, and already two possible candidates are being mentioned —Sir James Gunson and Miss Ellen Melville. It -would be a chivalrous acknowledgment of Miss Melville’s splendid fight against Mr Bertram in Grey Lynn, were she given the nomination.