The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1912. THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1495, 18 July 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1912. THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP.

Thf, vacant High Commissionership will no doubt receive attention of the Massey Government and we trust a suitable-appointment will ere long .be made. Several names of possible candidates for the office have been mentioned, including that ofithe late Prime' Minister, Mr. T. Mackenzie, and if Mr. Mackenzie should prove the most suitable person available for the post, Me. Massey may be relied on to make the appointment regardless of the political colour of the gentleman in question. It can reasonably be claimed that Mr. Mackenzie is possessed of somfe of tho qualities required in the occupant of this important office and his rccent experiences as a Minister of the Crown and head of the Department of Agriculture would ccrtainly prove of value if turned to account' in the High Commissioner's Department in London. It is not our purpose, however, at present to discuss the merits of Mr. Mackenzie or anyone else in connection with the matter. Whit wc desire to urge ujion the Government_ is that before it comcs to any definite decision on the question of who is to be the next High Commissioner it should make up its mind as to the necessity for a complete' overhauling of the Department in London. For a long time past the opinion has prevailed that the High Commissioner's Department is in a very uri'satisfactoi-y state. The exposures made in the E. A. Smith case threw some light on the laxity which has prevailed there; and there is a very widespread feeling that the country received a very poor return for the large sum spent annually on the upkeep of the Department. One of the questions which the Government might reasonably consider in this connection, is the possible advantages which might accrue to the public service from the introduction of a system of transfers of officers between the London office and the Departments in New Zealand. It would Seem that such a system might be turned to good account n6t m<yely as a means bf keeping the officials in London in fcloser touch with the Dominion's affairs, but also foe its educational benefits to members of our Civil Service. He would be a dull person indeed who, given the opportunity of two or three years' residence in London with the chances afforded of coming into touch with the methods and procedure of various Departments of State there, did not return to New Zealand with a wider knowledge and better equipped to perform his duties as a public servant. It might reasonably be hold out as an incentive to members of the Civil Service to qualify for these recurring openings in the High Commissioner's Office that the vacant

position would be conferred on those officers whose record uf merit- warranted it. That, however, is n matter of less moment than the possibility the system of exchanges seems to offer of keeping the High Commissioner's Office in closer touch with New Zealand affairs than it is unCier the present method and of ensuring II steady flow of new blood through the Department in London and so'remove any risk of future stagnation. Of course there would always be a certain number of experienced officials in -London 'familiar with the work of the Department ■so that at 110 time would there be any risk of the interests of the Dominion suffering through the inexperience of those sent on exchange from New Zealand.