CHARGE OF INCIVILITY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1853, 12 September 1913, Page 4

CHARGE OF INCIVILITY.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.

A STRONG DEFENCE. "

NEW PREMISES SECURED,

When tho High Commissioner's report was laid on the tablo, Mr. J. A. YOUNG (Waikato) said that ho hadbeon informed by visitors who-had returned recently from London that they had been treated discourteously by officials ill tho High Commissioner's Office, and that tho officials had shown themselves unfamiliar with facts relating to Now Zealand. Ho* suggested that it might bo advisable to send picked men Home from tho Departments in Now Zealand to join tho High Commissioner's staff? Mr. T. BUXTON (Temuka) said that having visTfed London iiithin tho last Six months he was in a position to give a straight-out denial to tho statement made by Mr. Young. The suggestion of discourtesy was incredible. Mr. Young: That actually took place. SIR JOSEPH WARD said that upon any occasion when ho had gono to the High Commissioner's OfTico he had'always found New Zealandors thorc, and every 0110 of them had spoken in tho highest terms of iho treatment they received in tho High Commissioner's Office. No office in the world was able to satisfy everybody. Somo persons who went Homo regarded the officials-in the High Commissioner's Office as '..their servants. 'That was not the true position.

SIR WALTER BUCHANAN (Wairarapa) said that as one who had recently returned from a tour that included a visit to London ho had to say that ho had always been received in. the High Commissioner's Office with , every courtesy. It had to be remembered, lioweyer, that members-of Parliament could always get tho attention of the head of each branch, but ordinary visitors were not in that position. Some of theso officers, not being acquainted with Noiv Zealand, wore not always in a position to give tho information asked for. Tho office would be improved if it wore possible to dispatch fresh blood from New Zealand now and then.

: unwarranted Aspersions. Mr. L. 31. ■ ISIT7 (Christchurch North) said that during ton years lie was continually in touch with thoHigh Commissioner's Office, and he had novcr received any discourtesy. On the contrary, ho had marvelled at tlio attention shown by tho officers. Ha liad nover heard a more unwarranted aspersion cast upon a worthy sot of servants than had been cast upon these men by tho member for AVaikato. Several members, including 'Messrs. liuddo, Escott, Statham, and. Newman, quoted cases Sin which people had been delighted at tho attention they had received from tho High Commissioner and his staff. The New Building. The, PRIME MINISTER said that ho was 1 glad to learn from members generally that the High Commissioner's Office was giving satisfaction. Personally lio had received hardly any complaints of incivility 011 tho part of officials in tho but lie had received numerous complaints regarding the unsuitability of the site and premises: He was glad to bo able to announco that the Govornment had now concluded arrangements for a new building on a new site in tho Strand. Here a sixstory building would bo erocted, which the Govornment. would lease for 80 years at what seemed to him to bo a very reasonable rent. \ Mr. Young, in personal explanation, said that lio. had' cast 110 aspersions whatever on tho High Commissioner himself. It was the clerks in the office that lie referred to. Tho statements ho had mado ho stood by absolutely.