PRECEDENT SET

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1930, Page 9

PRECEDENT SET

NEW GOVERNOR-GENERAL AUSTRALIAN APPOINTMENT SLR ISAAC ISAACSv CHOSEN king- GIVES HIS APPROVAL. WIDE DISCUSSION AROUSED <By ’Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Rec. 5.5 p.m. > i London, Dec. 2. The King, on Mr. J. H. Scullin a reeoinmendation, has appointed Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, Governor-General of Australia' in succession to Lord Stone- ‘ 'haven; ' The newspapers arc giving great prominence to the appointment. The Daily Express describes it as the first illustration of a historic change in the constitutional relationships between the Dominions and the Mother Country • arising from the Imperial Conference, in that, a native-born Australian has v, : fijan S ppo‘lnted Governor-General of .the Commonwealth.* , The paper proceeds to emphasise that the announcement was made from Australia House, not as hitherto in the Lon- ' doji Gazette. A third point of extreme ■ interest, adds the paper, is the wording- of the announcement, “The King, om the recommendation of Mr. Scullin, has appointed, etc.” The paper also points out that in the present, case th© ‘T ■ Dominions Office was hot. aware of the ; appointment until' the announcement was made, from Australia House. ■’he Times in a leader says: ' “Sir Isaac’tf name-was apparently submitted to th 3 King without any alternative of a formal preliminary conversation, which is most significant to those who ' . ‘ care for the maintenance of the Crown aa one of the remaining vital links of , ■> the Empire. Australians may reflect on the disadvantage of leaving the Commonwealth’s highest post as a prize for men s who have taken sides in party politics. They may also reflect that any step quotable as a tendency of thrift from other Dominions is hardly calculated to improve their' standing . and credit in the eyes of the world. The .. .King.was undoubtedly right in confirming the ’appointment. , : “The risk of an election fought on the difference, between the Crown and • t « Commonwealth Government, enlisting all the forces of Republicanism, Communism , and . anti-imperialism and religious fanaticism is not contemplatable. A ’weaker sovereign might have resisted the Minister’s advice, but Mr.. Scullin’s political' embarrassments and manifest inexperience and the fact that he offered the place to a friend in all wood faith before he left Canberra, made ■ the case all the stronger for His Majesty’s consent, but it must be kept reserved for use if a Minister s advice anywhere in the Empire runs counter ... . 'to the’ interests bf the people and t the ' true’ interests of the country concerned.” The Daily Telegraph describes the announcement as one of the romances of , Australia. “To begin his career as. Sir . ' , Isaac Isaacs did, a boy . clerk in the Public Service, and end as the representative ■ of the King- is to join the select company of ' self-made, immor- ,' ta.ls,” -says ; the ' •■ *f .•< -. • Mr. J. H. Thomas,.speaking at a farewell dinner referred to the “great change and innovation which I hope and pray will la? a success. For the first time in the history of the British Constitution the King has, appointed as Governor-General a very distinguished •Australian.” .. . ' l . ,•; T Mr. C. T. Te Water, South Africa, presiding, said a new confidence had been created in recent years and a closer bond formed lietween the Governor-Gen* eral and the executive, resulting in the widening of the sphere of the Gbvernor- .. General in the future. ■" . . ’ . •j • SURPRISE IN AUSTRALIA. ’ ■ 'fell V ■ WIDE DIVERGENCE OF OPINION. . Rec. 9.45 p.m. . Sydney, Dec. 3. ' Considerable- surprise has been occasioned by Sir Isaac-Isaacs’ appointment, although he is held in the| highest esteem, Lady Isaacs recently returned from a trip abroad. There are two daughters, Mrs. David Cohen, Sydney, and Mrs. Sefton Cullen,' Singapore. - The Sydney Evening News says: "'“Certainly Australian opinion is not unanimously in favour of the appointment of an Australian,, but the lack of unanimity , has nothing personal in it, l ' 1 . f-. i there is no more outstanding Aus- . traliaii and no one better deserving of ■being the King's representative than Sir Isaac Isaacs. He is a very distinguished lawyer who has filled and adorned many public offices.” “While. the appointment of Sir Isaac Isaacs'is a concession to Australian sentiment,” says thq; Sun, - “it. comes at a ni' -ularly unhappy time. It is perfectly certain to colour; British feeling and is almost, sure to affect the financial issue between the two countries. Io many Britons it will be as if we have struck away' the hand offered in fellowship. ‘They wish to walk alone and we .. will not intrude? That will undoubtedly be the response of the'British people who', think About these things, _ Sir Isaac Isaacs will be sworn in as Governor-General about; jtlie middle of January. He is at present in Sydney presiding over a- part-heard case.' Today he received hosts of copgratulatoiy cablegrams and telegrams. ~ _ p Acknowledging, the congratulations, or the Bar, Sir Isaac said: “I am humbly and dutifully grateful to my King for the very hign honour he has graciously conferred upon me, and I trust I shall be worthy of it.” ■ '

RISE FROM HUMBLE BEGINNING-

1 kWYER AND a STATESMAN.

Sir. Isaac Isaacs, P.C.. K.C.M.G., is a son of the late Mr. Alfred Isaacs, of Auburn, and received his early education in Victoria. He worked his way .up, and before he was 25 he was earning a salary of £3OO a year by coaching or tutoring. He became a medallist at the. Beechworth Grammar School, and from there-proceeded to the University of Melbourne. . :

He had barely reached 25 before he took bis Master of Laws degree with first-class honours. He was called to the Victorian Bar in the same year and rapidly rose in his profession. In 1892 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Victoria, and the following year became Solicitor-General in the Patterson Government. He became At-torney-General in the Turner Government from 1900 until his resignation in 190 L upon his bein<* elected to the lederal Legislature. He successfully held + he position of Attorney-General in the Federal Administration <«til the Prime

Minister (Mr. Deakin) raised him to the High Cour* Bench in 1906. While a Minister in both the State ai.d Commonwealth, Sir Isaac was noted for his tireless energy and persistency. In 1920 his services on the. Bench, where h" has occupied a eeat for over 20 years, were recognised by the King., who conferred upon him the distinction of Privy Councillor. He Jr? the author of the Amending Companies Act of Victoria of 189th which was designed for the protection of the investing public find was largely the outcome of the disastrous boom legislation of 1887-90.