THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. “Public Service.” WEDNESDAY, JUDY 11, 1945. NEXT GOVERNOR-GENERAL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 54, Issue 32595, 11 July 1945, Page 4

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. “Public Service.” WEDNESDAY, JUDY 11, 1945. NEXT GOVERNOR-GENERAL

The suggestion that the NewZealand High Commissioner in London, Mr W. J. Jordan, should be appointed the next GovernorGeneral of the Dominion was made by a Government speaker, Mr P. C. Connolly, during the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives. Perhaps the proposal was not taken seriously, but it might have been a “kite” to test the wind of public opinion. Some years ago an agitation in Australia led to the appointment of an Australian as the Commonwealth GovernorGeneral. No particularly dire results followed, but Australia soon lost its enthusiasm on the subject and now has a member of the Royal Family as its Gov-ernor-General, and he has been received with greater acclaim than any other man appointed to the post. Probably New Zealand’s experience would be similar.

Nothing could conceivably be gained but much might be lost by insisting on the selection of a New Zealander for the position. It is the thought behind the proposal rather than the personality of the appointee that matters most. Why has it been the custom to appoint as the King’s representative in the Dominion a man from Britain who has achieved fame and honour in the service of the Empire? Surely it is mainly to maintain that close unity with the heart of the Empire which good Britons are proud to preserve. And let there be no mistake that New Zealand’s interest, economically, culturally and defensively, as well as sentimentally, lies in the closest possible unity with Britain.

The Statute of Westminster gave the Dominions complete freedom of choice, but only those who utterly fail to realise the real meaning of British unity imagine that this freedom has weakened the ties with Britain. Probably more people in New Zealand than in Britain would regret a demand for the appointment of a New Zealander as Governor-General. Mr Connolly’s suggestion has apparently raised no enthusiasm in support but certainly a passing regret that he should think so narrowly.