"NOT A REST CURE."

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 11 August 1908, Page 4

"NOT A REST CURE."

The printed words of the Hon. W. P. Reeves come opportunely. Since his resignation as the High Commissioner for New Zealand was announced the appointment of hie successor hais naiturally l>een canvassed. In the cass of a Cabinet Minister it- was urged that as his failing health darr-anded work less strenuous than that imposed upon. Ministers he should he offered the billet And of another "probable-" it was said that in hjny case he would bo goirg to London at tho end of $k* year "on. account of health reasons." Speaking at the annual Now Zealand dinner, Mr Reeves said: "The notion that the officei of High Counuiisaioner in London is a kind cf rest-cure is somewhat of a delusion. Amongst othea' duties of a Colonial repreecntar tive is that one should keep in touch with public avemts aj&d public opinion, in: t/he colony by perusal of the newspapers of the country ISfow New Zet.tr land possesses something like two hundred and six newspapers, many of which appear six times a week. There sitill lingers tihe notion among newspapers in the romotw portions of the Dominion that the High Commi i ssion fl ir in a fortunate person attired in gold lace, who passes his .lays in feasting and his nights in draining bumpers of champagne out of cockod hats 1 should rather cay that tho Jl'gh Commissioner is !• -worried, prematurelyaged man, petering through fpectactes and sitting amidst. pi ie« of newspapers, seeking to keej" in touch with thet j.ublic opinion of the colony. That has boeo my fate for the last tfweivw years." If ihw duties of tliexCWmiftadonor are to be reorganised to as to increase the commercial duties of tha office* -even if it be at the expomsa of tha social — it is manifest that *ho Dominion's chambers in Victoria straet will not be exactly the spot fcr convalescing.