The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 1926. AMAZING INHISCRETIONS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 3 June 1926, Page 6

The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 1926. AMAZING INHISCRETIONS.

The. expected lias happened! No sooner had Sir dailies Pan* put his foot on English soil than ho began to talk. Moreover, before tlio High Commissioner elect had been in the country twenty-four hours and before he had taken up hist official duties, he suffered the humiliation of being told that ho does not. know what he is talking about. Presuming to discuss the redistribution of the people of the Empire, Sir .lames Parr said: “Now Eon landers are somewhat disappointed with the results of tho Empire Settlement Act. .The mast successful adventures have been those designed on a smaller scale. Where a small community is concerned, it is impossible to absorb more than 13,000 to 15,000 migrants a year. Group settlement on a large scale may be possible in tho great open spaces of Australia, but even there it laded badly.”

The now High Commissioner can surely find some more useful avenue for his official activities than criticising - thei migration policy of sister Dominions. The Agent-General for Western Australia, lias dealt, most conclusively with the new High Commissioner’s rather loosely expressed observations. “Sir James Parr has spoken with insufficientknowledge of the scheme, 1 ' said the Hon. I-t. P. Colebateh, who is official representative in London for one of the Australian States. The initial difficulties have been overcome', and the .success of the scheme which Sir James Parr described as having failed badly," has justified the recent report of Mr Am cry who said: “The success of the scheme far exceeds, niv most sanguine preconceived expectations'. It. is working out most hopefully, and promises to he one- of the most hopeful ventures' in large-scale G overnmen (.-assisted migration. ’ ’ This is a. most conclusive reply to. Sir James Parr's rather illadvised and uninformed observation. Hut the new High Commissioner offended against the canons of good taste more, grievously, in discussing the status of the Dominions. . “If some of the advocates of greater independence within the. Empire came out. Into the open,” Sir James Pan* said on Monday, “it would he found that their real object was a. breakaway.” Such a statement is. to he seriously deplored. Sweeping generalities should'hot be. indulged in by the High Commissioner of one of the Overseas Dominions. Its very indefiniteness is its principal danger. Doubtless some Dominion.l) will-ignore Sir James Parr’s amazing indiscretion. If the High Commissioner were invited to say precisely what he means, an exceedingly unpleasant, situation would result in the utter confusion of: Hew Zealand’s representative in London. .Sir James Parr also most indiscreetly levelled the indirect charge- against his former Cabinet chief's of having refused consulted their Ministerial colleagues on question of Imperial policy. “Ileal consultation,” ho said, “is inevitable between the British Government and the Dominion Premiers. The Dominion Office sends to the Premiers lengthy dispatches two or three times a. week. They are seldom shown anyone else, and never laid before Cabinet.” Wo can scarcely believe- that successive. Prime, Ministers of Hew Zealand have shown such gross lack of confidence iir members of the Cabinet.. Such autocratic, and secretive tactics are hardly credible, nevertheless, in view of Sir James Pair’s itch for public speaking and his penchant tor attempting" to say smart thing.**, the Prime Minister will doubtless have come to the decision in view of the amazing discretion on the first, day in London, that if the new High Commissioner is to make a sueoi?>:.':s of the highly important office he lias been appointed to fill in London, he should beins true ted. to think more and talk less.

THE PASSING OF Mlt VIRTUE.

Very goneml reg-rot will be felt in Ti’nnru uml tbr into-limit South Cimto.-'bury «(. 1 ho pitssinjr of n daithai! public servant mul estimable citi.'A'n in the person of air David Virtue, lfor long- years Mr Virtue was associated with the civic life of the community in the capacity of Town (11 eik, and ho gave generously of his many talont-y in promoting- the interests of the community which he served with such quiet and 1 are distinction in an oxa!t:xl official position, and liis decease will, be keenly felt by a wide circle of personal friends and official associates. Modesty, «traig-h(forwardness, ability, and kindness of heart were the welldovclor.ed qualities which carried Mr Virtue into an honoured place in tin' estimation of all sections' of the community. As Town Clerk, Mr Virtue played no insignificant, part, not only in laying- the splendid foundation of Tima.ru, hut in roaring- an imposing- superstructure of solid and enlightened progress which we see io-day n» the enduring monument to the .sturdy citizens wlio nursed live borough in its days of infancy, and breathed into its nostrils the spirit of progress. .Hawing served his day and generation with a. quiet constancy to his fell ow men and a.n unquom-h.aldo zeal tor the progress of (he community with whom bis lot. was cast. Mr Virtue peacefully relinquished

the tenancy of the human habitation and entered into the temples of immortality. But the sorely bereaved family, the sorrowing civic authorities, and (lie whole community, which know Mr Virtue so well, while mourning his passing hence, take consolation in the knowledge that, by his unobtrusive yet remarkably efficient service in his p-fficlai capacity, his faithful discharge of everyday duties, and liis inbred regard for the sacred 2>rmciplos which inspire men to lofty idealism and noble actions, Mr Virtue leaves behind him an unstained escutcheon as a servant of the community, anunsullied record as a citizen, and a reputation os a man who found it a joy to serve his fellow men. As guide, philosopher, and friend to Mayor and Council, Mr Virtue played a leading part in moulding- the progressive policy of the borough, and Iris innate sagacity, his intense loyalty, his rare ability, and his wide knowledge. of municipal law and public, affairs, which ho applied in the discharge of his everyday duties, raised him to a. high position as an indispensable public, servant, in the successful administration of the civic affairs of the borough. To- the bereaved family, the community extends its sincere sympathy in the irreparable loss they have suffered by the within the veil ot one so fondly beloved and so universally honoured. Words are but feeble vehicles to express consolation when the human heart is cast into the Valley of the Shadow, but the grief of the heicared family will he somewhat assuaged by the realisation Ihiii. Incur irreparable loss is shared by many staunch personal friends and a, host of admirers m all sections of the community who hold Mr Virtue m tender and honoured memorv.