HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22064, 21 September 1933, Page 10

HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP

NEW APPOINTMENT PROBABLE

MR R. MASTERS’S NAME SUGGESTED

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, September 20.

“ Sir Thomas Wilford is not anxious for an extension of his term as High Commissioner,” said the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) in an interview this evening. “ That was Sir Thomas’s view when I saw him in England recently, and there has been no intimation since that he has changed his mind.” Answering a further question, Mr Forbes agreed that the inference to be drawn from his remark was that a new appointment would be necessary. As has already been indicated, if Sir Thomas Wilford definitely declines a further extension his probable successor wiU be Mr R. Masters (Minister of Education). Mr Masters has recently returned from his first visit to England. During his visit he did not travel much beyond London, and there are those who see some significance in that fact. Their inference presumably is that he expects to return shortly and to have an opportunity then to see England more thoroughly. It is being suggested that should Mr Masters go to London the portfolio of education will be taken by Sir James Parr, who formerly administered it. That action would necessarily involve the re-entry of Sir James into the Cabinet. Since the Coalition Government was formed, almost two years ago, Cabinet has comprised 10 members, drawn equally from the Reform and the United sections. However, since the 1931 elections the Reform Party strength compared with that of the United Party has been approximately in the proportion of three to two, which might be used as an argument for constituting Cabinet on the same basis of representation. If that point were conceded there should be no barrier to Mr Masters (the United representative) being replaced by Sir James Parr, a Reform supporter. These questions are all “in the air ” at the moment, but it is believed that the attention so far given them by Cabinet has been along those lines.