TERM NEARLY FINISHED

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1933, Page 7

TERM NEARLY FINISHED

HIGH COMMISSIONER IN LONDON. SIR THOMAS WILFORD’S POSITION Four years’ service as High Commissioner for New Zealand in London will be completed by Sir Thomas Wilfordat .the end of the present year. His normal three-year term of appointment expired on December 31 last, and was extended by the Government for a further- -term of twelve months. Although Sir Thomas did not actually take office until January 13, 1930, his original appointment dates from January 1 of that year. At that time he was on the high seas, having sailed from Wellington on December 7 of the previous year to take up his post in London in succession to Sir James Parr, the present Leader of the Legislative Council. When he resigned his seat in the House of Representatives to take up the High Commissionership Sir Thomas was Minister of Justice and Defence in the United Ministry led by the. late Sir Joseph Ward. In Parliament he represented the Hutt electorate. New Zealand has had direct representation in London since 1871, although its representatives have not always been known as High Commissioners. Prior to 1904 they were known as Agents-Gen-eral. The .first Agent-General was Dr. Isaac Earl Featherston, whose appointment dated from March 25, 1871. On the death of Dr. Featherston, Sir W. Tyrone Power was. appointed on June 20, 1876, by the Crown Agents as temporary Agent-General. About three months later Sir Julius Vogel assumed the office, and on his resignation Sir Francis Dillon Bell was appointed his successor. Sir Francis was succeeded by Sir Westby Brook Perceval. The distinction of having been the last Agent-General and the first High Commissioner belongs to the late Hon. William Pember Reeves. He succeeded Sir Westby Perceval as Agent-General by warrant dated December 23, 1895, and on the passing of the High Commissioner Act in 1904 became High Commissioner. Sir William Hall-Jones sue-, ceedfed Mr. Reeves early in 1909, and on the expiry of Sir William’s term, Mr. Charles Frederick Wray Palliser served for about three months until August 23, 1912, when Sir Thomas Mackenzie took office. The next High Commissioner was Sir James Allen, whose appointment dated from August 1, 1920. The next occupant of the office was Sir James Parr. His appointment dated from August 1, 1926, and on the expiry of his occupancy of the office he was followed by Sir Thomas Wilford,