ROYAL GOVERNOR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 18, 22 January 1935, Page 10

ROYAL GOVERNOR

MOVEMENT IN AUSTRALIA

DIPLOMATIC OVERTURES DUKE OF KENT SUGGESTED SYDNEY, Jan. 9. While no official information is available, there seems to be no doubt that diplomatic feelers have been extended from Australia to ascertain the practicability of the Duke* of Kent being appointed the next Governor-General of Australia. The appointment of His Majesty’s representative is now the prerogative of the King, acting on advice from the Dominion concerned. The present discussions are quite unofficial and must be regarded as purely tentative. Jt would b* impossible to conclude negotiations which concerned a member of the Royal Family before Mr. Lyons, who will leave for London in March to attend the Coronation jubilee celebrations, had been granted a personal audience of the King. It is felt that in view of the success of the visit of the Duke of Gloucester, the King might be persuaded to take a step which would strengthen the affectionate family ties between Australia and England. Suggested Two Years’ Term

It is possible that the Duke and Duchess of Kent would not remain in Australia longer than two years. This would not upset any precedent, for while the Governor-General usually remains in office for five years, the first Governor-General —the Earl of Hopetoun —was here for little more than a year. The second —Lord Tennyson —remained for two years. Sir Ronald Ferguson (Later Lord Novar) was in office for nearly seven years.

Sir Isaac Isaacs was appointed Gov-ernor-General in 1931. While the term of appointment is at the King’s pleasure, it is customarily five years. In the ordinary course of events he would, therefore, retire next year. Sir Isaac Isaacs will be 80 next August. He is in robust health, but does not desire an indefinite extension of his term. The choice of a member of the Royal Family would seem to be the only alternative to another native-born GovernorGeneral. The Labour Party is not alone its its adherence to the principle of an Australian Governor-General.

Long Audience of the King. When Mr. Scullin decided in 1930 to tost the soundness of the 1926 Imperial Conference decisions and appoint Sir Isaac Isaacs, he had to tread warily. It is now known that Mr. Scullin had taken all the necessary steps to api point Sir Isaac in the early part of that year, but was persuaded to defer it until he had conferred with British Ministers on his visit to the Imperial Conference later in the year. Backed by the soundest of Australian constitr tional advice, Mr. Scullin, it is said, was adamant even up to the poin* •when he had a long audience of th<» King on this question The ideal of continuing Vice-Regal representation in the person of a dis tinguished Australian citizen has sur prisingly wide support, to which the conduct of Sir Isaac Isaacs in the Com monwealth’s highest office has contributed considerably. The only flaw is that while there are perhaps three citizens whose names the Government inighit be prepared to submit to thp King as suitable candidates, in each ease there is the objection of local interests which might lead to some un witting defection from the impartiality and dignity of the office. It is known that this consideration has ted as much as anything to Mr. Lyons’ move for the appointment of t. Royal Governor General.