THE LEGATION IN WASHINGTON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24783, 6 December 1941, Page 8

THE LEGATION IN WASHINGTON

At a time like this, when the United States Government is engaged in delicate conversations with, the agents of a foreign. Power on matters that deeply! concern the British dominions in the Pacific, it would have been of advantage to New Zealand if she had been represented in Washington by a suitably qualified' person whom the Administration might have taken into consultation, and who might have constituted a valuable link between the Government of : the great republic arid that- of Our own country. Of the Teasons for the delay, extending"• over the greater part of V year, that has occurred in the choice of a Dominion representative in the United States there has been no explanation, satisfactory or otherwise. It is possible that it may have been related to the difficulty of securing a representative with the qualifications that should be possessed by the occupant of an office of so vast importance. It is,a fundamental mistake on the part of the Government to assume, when an appointment has to be made by it,' that its choice must be so narrowed down that it must fall oh a member of its own party. For an appointment such as that of first representative of the Dominion in the United States it should have scanned the whole horizon with the view of securing the services of the most highly-qualified man available, irrespective altogether of his political opinions. The decision at which it seems to have arrived, that it was a party appointment that had to be made, necessarily had the effect of strictly limiting the field of selection. It is apparently a temporary appointment only that is to be made, but even that is to be welcomed as a relief from the vacillation and irresolution which have been exhibited by the Government ever since it arrived at the conclusion that New Zealand should, like Australia, send its own accredited representative to the United States. Moreover, the appointment that is said to be in contemplation—that of Mr Nash—is one that will be received by the public with, at least, a good deal

of satisfaction. If the Government's vision is so limited, as it seems to have been, as to embrace only the members of its own political party, there is no appointment it could have made that would be more suitable than that of Mr Nash. There is no other member of the Government who possesses qualifications for such an office at all approaching his. It would certainly have been a political tragedy of the first order if the appointment had been bestowed on Mr Langstone, who was despatched to America several months ago for the ostensible purpose of, preparing the ground, whatever that may mean, for the establishment of the Legation and who has been twiddling his thumbs at Washington during the larger part of the period of his absence from New Zealand. But though it would be flattering to Mr Nash to say that all, or most of the attributes that should belong to the representative of New Zealand in the United States'are to be found in him, the people of the Dominion may confidently anticipate that he will discharge the duties Of his office capably and'' creditably.