SIR JOSEPH WARD AND THE TRADE COMMISSIONERSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1410, 10 April 1912, Page 6

SIR JOSEPH WARD AND THE TRADE COMMISSIONERSHIP.

Sir,—The papers have announced Sir Joseph Ward's appointment a3 New Zealand Trade Commissioner. In an interview, Sir Joseph is reported to have made two important statements:—(l) That there is no salary attaching to the position; (2) that he will retain his seat in the House. The first statement is literally correct, but only because Parliament lias so far not been asked to vote a salary. The' Commonwealth Parliament has voted .£2OOO a year salary, and £1500 a year travelling allowances, to its representative, and probably New Zealand will be asked to do the same. It is not at all likely that Sir Joseph Ward is going to represent NewZealand for nothing, and tho probability is that he has no intention of doing so. The first statement, therefore, is a mere quibble. As to the second, it. ia almost certain that as soon as the salary is voted, Sir Joseph Ward must resign. Our Parliament is not at all likely to pay Sir Joseph Ward .£3OO a year for being in one place, and .£2OOO a year and .£ISOO travelling allowances for work which he cannot do so long- as he attempts to earn the i>3oo. The sum total of the matter is that Sir Joseph has glided into a good fat billet, and our politics will see him not until the fat billet ceases, which it may not do, since the Hon. Andrew Fisher informed the Commonwealth Parliament that the Trade Commission would probably be permanent.—l am, etc., ■ TOBIAS.