REPRESENTATIVE IN EIRE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20055, 29 September 1939, Page 11

REPRESENTATIVE IN EIRE

BRITISH APPOINTMENT MUTUAL SATT.SFACTION (Reed. Sept. 28, 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 27. Sir John MafTey has been appointed British representative in Eire. The Prime Minister of Eire, Mr. E. De Valera announced that the appointment of a British representative would supplement the existing system oi communications owing to problems of political and economic relations. The Dominions Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, announced in the House of Commons that Sir John Maffey’s appointment -was vnacie _in view of the special problems arising out of the war in the mutual trade, economic and political relations of the United Kingdom and Eire Governments. The appointment is a natural development of similar appointments during the last 10 years in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Satisfaction is felt in London at the agreement reached with the Eire Government on the appointment. After experience on the north-west frontier and India, Sir John Maffey was appointed Governor-General of the Sudan in 1926. In 1933 he became Permanent Under-Secretary at the Colonial Office and, on retiring, joined the boards of Imperial Airways and the Rio Tinto Company. Mr. De Valera, speaking in the Dail, said that England being at war vitally affected Eire, whose trade and commerce would be completely disrupted. He added that the Government would do its utmost to try to increase argicultural production for home and export use.