The Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1913. A FINE APPOINTMENT.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 4656, 9 October 1913, Page 4

The Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1913. A FINE APPOINTMENT.

General gratification will be expressed I throughout the country at the apj pointmont of Sir William Hall-Jones 1 as a member of the Legislative Council. It is an appointment which was J well-deserved, and which reflects no ' small credit upon the Government, seeing that Sir William has all along been an opponent of the Reform I Party. Sir William, as everyone j knows, has had a long and varied I career in New Zealand politics. Ho I was for many years a member of the Seddon Ministry, and later, when Mr j Seddon died, he filled the post of Prime Minister until Sir Joseph Ward’s return from England. Ho thereupon, out of loyalty to his party, resigned his high position in order that Sir Joseph Ward, Mr Soddon’s first lieutenant, might assume command. There arc', of course, not many men) who would have behaved in as unselfish a manner as Sir William HallJones did under the circumstances, and for his action on that occasion Sir William must always command the respect of New Zealanders. The retiring Prime Minister was then appointed High Commissioner for New Zealand, which position he filler! both with credit to his country and to himself up till the middle of last year. With an experience such as Sir William Hall-Jones has behind him tint coun- , try could ill-afford to lose his service*, and it is therefore with a feeling of satisfaction that the country welcomes him to the Upper House, which sadly requires improving. What will strike the country most, however, in connection willi this appointment is that the Reform Government should have again

conferred honour upon an opponent, j It showed that it was above Party in ; the appointment of the High Com- > missioner, it has shown that it is above Party in its appointments to the Legislative Council, and it has shown that it is also above Party in making appointments to the Civil Service, as it has entrusted that work to Civil Service Commissioners who are responsible to Parliament (not to Ministers), and who are instructed to always appoint and raise the best men, irrespective of their political views or religion. In other words, the Government is making good its claim that it is out to govern the country in the interests of the country. Everybody knows that under the Rainbows quite a different state , of affairs prevailed. The country wel- i comes the change.