A New Zealander In Sydney Town

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 966, 8 May 1930, Page 7

A New Zealander In Sydney Town

TJIB SUN’S Sydney Correspondent SYDNEY, May 1. Radio Telephone to London The Prime Minister (Mr. Scullin) had not the slightest difficulty in conversing with the British Prime Minister (Mr. Ramsay MacDonald) from Canberra yesterday. Yet, an hour or so later, when the acting editor of “The Sydney Morning Herald,” Mr. H. K. Williams, endeavoured to converse with the editor of “The London Morning Post” the experiment was by no means successful. Nevertheless, it was certainly apt that the first newspaper conversation, whatever its defects might have been, between Australia and the Mother Country, should have been through the medium of the two oldest established journals in the two capitals. Few people realise, not even excepting journalists (who are expected to know everything), that “The Morning Post” is senior to “The Times.” Death of Mr. Geoffrey Fairfax “The Sydney Morning Herald” suffered a severe loss during the week, in the death of Mr. Geoffrey Fairfax, the senior partner in the old-estab-lished newspaper firm of John Fairfax and Sons. “Mr. Geoffrey.” as Mr. Fairfax was familiarly known to the members of his staff, had been ailing for some time, and his passing was not unexpected. Quiet, and unassuming, and always avoiding a limelight of publicity that could have been his in life, Mr. Geoffrey Fairfax unobtrusively supported many worthy institutions, and liberally gave of his great wealth to many deserving charities. He was a widower. Mrs. Fairfax died some years age when on a visit to the South of France. Thev had no family. The head of /‘The Sydney Morning Herald.” and also of the family that established it, is now Mr. Warwick Fairfax, one of the wealthiest young men in Australia. He is a nephew of the late Mr. Geoffrey Fairfax, and like his uncle before him (and his father, the late Sir James), is an Oxonian. The Governor-Generalship It might be regarded in New Zealand as heresy to say so, but I do think there is something to be said in favour of Australia’s claims for an Australian born Governor-General. New Zealand, at times, manages quite successfully with her Chief Justice in acting as Administrator of the Dominion. New South Wales at the moment has as her official head her ex-State Chief Justice (Sir William Cullen), as LieutenantGovernor. At the same time one realises that is hardly the point. It is not so much a question of personality as the method in which the name of the proposed GovernorGeneral has been submitted to the Imperial Government. Whether Mr. Scullin is right or wrong, there is no question as to the suitability of Sir Isaac Isaacs to hold the position. The only disadvantage in submitting the name of the Chief Justice is his age—almost 76. It is ridiculous to suggest that Australia is less loyal for desiring one of her own countrymen to occupy this great office, or to infer that she is anxious to sever the ties that bind her with Great Britain. Nothing of the kind. Australia has to foot the

bill for his Excellency and his Excellency’s household, and, after all, providing that a suitable person is offering, why should not the GovernorGeneral be an Australian born? British Art For New Zealand

Passengers for England via the Cape today on the Anchises included Mr. and Mrs. E. Murray Fuller. It will be recalled that the majority of pictures in their £25,000 collection of contemporary British art was lost off the New Zealand coast in the wreck of the Manuka. Mr. Fuller is off to England to obtain new pictures. He expressed his deep appreciation of the sympathetic treatment he had received from the artists, whose works had so unfortunately been destroyed. Their one desire, he said, was to assist him in every way possible. Mr. Fuller told me that it was not so much his own loss that occasioned him so much anxiety, but the loss to the world of art of so many works that cannot be replaced. For instance, Sir William Orpen's study on the Somme, was actually painted in France during the war. Such a loss is irreparable under any circumstances. Wool Prices Advance

It is satisfactory to note that there was a marked increase in wool values at both the Sydney and Melbourne sales this week. Fully 10 per cent, above the closing rates of the last sales was recorded at the Sydney sales. In Melbourne, spinners’ wools were from five to 10 per cent, higher than the rates ruling before Easter. Other wools advanced from five to seven and a-half per cent. Highly satisfactory clearances were effected at both capitals. Nearly 98 per cent, of the Sydney offerings and 96 per cent, of the Melbourne offerings were cleared. There was strong competition from Continental buvers. France, especially, was a keen bidder at both centres. In Sydney more than 10,000 bales were sold. At Melbourne the bales sold numbered 8,000. —ERIC RAMSDEN.