THE HIGH COMMISSIONERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 20 January 1926, Page 5

THE HIGH COMMISSIONERS

SUGGESTED DUAL BASTS

ADVERSE CRITICISM,

(By Electric Telegraph.-Copyrigbt) (Australian & N /.. Cable Association.)

LONDON, Jan. 19

The High Commissioners, including Sir Joseph <'• •> '• and Sir dames Allen, arc alino.si i! .: . inonsly adverse to the proposals ii' '. \usiralia lo recoiist ii ute I.i'ii.f. i, reprcscnial ion "u n ,1 ■ i:. 1 basis puiilieal and coiiiinen \:\\. In reference to I lie political basis it is pointed out thai (anada ..ud Queensland both trieil that policy and abandoned it. Canada's experiment, whereby Mr I'iirlev was a member of the min-i.-iry as 'well ns Nigh Commissioner, wits' abandoned after three years' experience. Mr Puriey ultimately resigned from the Cabinet but remained High Commission.'i'. Similarly Mr O'arriek was Agent-General and a member of Ihc Queensland Ministry fir- fotir years, bin ihc experiment was nol repeated. With reference to the suggested subdivision of the High Comin'ssiouersliip into two separate ntlices. diplotniltii' ji.nd commercial. Sir Joseph Cook and Sir .lames Allen concur ,iiat such a course is practically impossible. Sir Joseph Cook and Sir James Allen. speaking with several years' experience, declared that financial and commercial activities were so eloseely interwoven with the High Commissioners other duties that it was impossible to separate them without detriment thereto. They welcomed a trade commissioner in the highest capacity, but only as at: ollieial of the High Commissioners department. Any attempt I" endow the trade commissioner with something approaching co-ci|tial powers would not only be unprecedented bub fraught with the danger of conllicling authority.