The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, JULY 27, 1908. THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2253, 27 July 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, JULY 27, 1908. THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP.

The news that Air. William Pember Reeves has resigned his position as High Commissioner in London for the Dominion should be a matter for satisfaction rather -than regret. The statement is in no senso derogatory to Air. Reeves,: who is a man of particularly brilliant attainments, which have in tho past been of great service to tho Dominion. In some respects it was a pity that so able a man ovor left New Zealand, for there is no question .but our Parliaments during the past fifteen years would havo been tho bettor for tho presence of tho founder of our Conciliation and Arbitration system. It is quito coucoivablo that had Air. Hooves remained a force in Now Zoalund poli - tics, tho labor laws so intimately associated with his name might have boon so porfectod as to havo withstood the pressure that has lately rendered tho Arbitration systom largely ineffective. As Agent-General, Air. AY. P. Reeves undoubtedly performed oxcollont work. At the time of his appointment, most exaggerated notions prevailed in England in regard to the legislation of this country, as well as its gonoral condition, and tho successor of Sir AVestby I’ercival made full uso of his literary abilities to correct, through tho medium of tho influential London dailies, alarmist and erroneous rumors. At important public gatherings, moreover, our Ag-ont-Genoral invariably created an excellent impression, and his speeches served to give the leading commercial and political representatives of tho Okl Country a more accurato conception of New Zealand and its people. Tho period covered by these remarks, however, is from 10 to 15 years ago. In more recent years Air. Reeves has continued to oarry out tho duties of his office as thoroughly and as conscientiously as ever, hut he has not paid evon -a flying visit to New Zealand sinco he first left, and has naturally got out of touch with its people. In a young country conditions chango very considerably in a decade, and probably no one would bo more surprised than Air. Reeves himself to see New Zealand as it is to-day. Not only have tho circumstances of our people altered, but their sentiments and aspirations have varied to a marked degree. These changes cannot be fully appreciated by Air. Reeves or any other abseuteo, and the fact demonstrates that, as a general principle, the duties of High Commissioner should not be discharged by a porsoii who has been away from tho'Dominion for any length.of time. Tliero are other reasons, however, which make it desirable that Air. Ileoves should have resigned his position, and the chief one is that he is temperamentally unsuited to the work that must at the present tiino bulk very largely in the requirements of . his office. Now Zealand needs population more than anything else, and just now tho chief value of a High Commissioner is that ho shall bo the head of an enterprising, wellconducted immigration bureau. In this respect the present conduct of tho High Commissioner’s office is entirely opposed to business principles. In the first place it is situated ,in a comparatively out-of-the-way corner of London. Victoria, Street, AA r estminster, is an eminently respectable and dignified locality, but it takes some finditlg even by a Londoner, and is certainly not calculated to impress a stranger with tho opinion that New Zealand is seeking his attention. Aloreovcr, the atmosphere of tho office , is ono of dignity and hauteur, and, as a result, tho chances of success in attracting immigrants to -New Zealand, as against the competition of Canada and tho Commonwealth, are somewhat remote. Not only is it unfortunate that the present High Commissioner has not been in New Zealand for over 15 years, but tho disadvantage is emphasised by the fact that his large offico staff is comprised almost solely of persons who have never been in the Dominion. This, of course, is the hoight of absurdity. There is need, in fact, for an entiro reorganisation of the office. Its head should be a gentleman in complete touch with every detail of New Zealand life, and Ids assistants should bo wholly drawn from tho Do-, minion. Visitors calling at the; office would then have the satisfaction of receiving information direct from, those best able to give it, and would havo the greatest, confidence accordingly. The New Zealand High Commissioner’s office should bo located in tho Strand, if possible,-and should havo sub-offices situated in the more ■important cities of Northern England. These should all ho staffed by New Zealanders, some of whom should have agricultural knowledge in order that they might give practical and accurate information to all who seek •it. AVe need immigrants, and with a properly organised system should have little difficulty in securing a 3 many as wo can readily absorb, but under no circumstances do wo want a single individual to come to the Dominion under a misconception as to the conditions existing here. To those conversant with tho position it certainly seemed a grievous' error on Sir Joseph Ward’s part to have recently reappointed Air. Reeves for a further term, hut it would now appear that the Premier had a shrewd idea that Air. Reeves would not long contimio' ■in offico. It is to be hoped that in seeking a. successor to the present High Commissioner no question of political exigencies will bo permitted to interfere with the selection of one fully qualified to carry out tho important duties attached to the office.

Tho annual examination for the admission of Fellows and Associates te tho Incorporated Institute of Accountants will bo held in the four contrcs in Octobor noxt. ■

The monthly mooting of tbo Gishoriio No-Lieenso Longue will bo held this evening, in the Presbyterian schoolroom at 8 o’clock, when important business will bo transacted.

Tho latest addition to tho telephone oxchango is: 186, G. Grunt, AVaiinnnu, Whataupoko. Deleted : 186, AV. H. Renner. Connection with Mr. Rennor’s residonco is now obtained through Mntawhotq bureau.

Tho following revenue was collected at tho Customs House, Gisborne, last wook Customs duties £IO7B 9s lid, light dues £ll 11s 2d, shipping foes (>s, Harbor Board revenue £4 10s lOd. other receipts £4 3s; total, £1099 0s lid.

Tho nian Te AYaata Gannon, wllo was charged at Gisborne recently with stealing £4, and with giving an unstamped receipt for tho same amount, and who was romandod to Hustings, appeared thoro last week. Aitor hearing evidence, accused was dismissed on tho first charge but, as the second constituted a breach of tho Act, lie was fined £1 and costs £1 Is.

It is reported by tho Feilding “Star” that from £lO to £25 per acre has been paid by sawmillers for clearing rights alone along tho Ala'.n Trunk lino, and tho millets up there declare that it will cost them 7s Cd per 100 superfeot to put their ordinary building timber on tbo trucks, and that pr.ico does not .include any allowance for interest on t l ' s capital invested and insurance.

Tho committee of the Gisborne Racing Club has decided to carry out further improvements on the Park racecourso. Tho tsiukl’ing paddock, stables, and stewards’ stand will be removed to the town sido of tho course, and upon their old site will bo orcctod an “outside” or public grandstand. Tbo totalisator will also be moved from its present site so as to bo botweeli the lawn grandstand and tho publio stand.

gVn expressive figure of speech was used by Air D. M'Loren at the Labor Conference last week. He referred to Mr Millar as the captain of the good ship Arbitration, and pictured tho captain standing on tho bridge. “A\ r o have been sailing for some yea re,” lie proceeded, “and it has now been found that wo have sprung a leak —in fact, several leaks; and the skipper’s only idea of altering the situation is to paint tho ship a new namo every other day and to put the crew in irons 1”

Aliss Sterling, of Hawko’s Bay, speaking at tho Alaori Congress in AVollington, said s)ie did not altogether agree that native girls should be sent out to domestic service. But whatever was done the training must start when tho girls were j’oung. The only circumstanco undo'r which they might consent to tho girls going to service was when they could not do anything else. But, oven then, thoy should not be allowed •to go to any woman or to any sort of homo, but the utmost care should bo exercised in selecting tho places by some committee.

There was a very good attendance at His Alajesty’s Theatre last night, when the Gisborne City Band gave another of their Sunday night sacred concerts. The first Mild selection was an arrangement of Stephen Adams’ songs, 1 and the second comprised selections from “Alaritana.” Both were played in capital style, tho latter item, particularly, being most enjoyable. Miss Redstone was heard to advantage in “A Dream of Paradise,” and Air. Drower sang “I seek Thee in Every Flower.” Air. C. Piesso chose “Nazareth” as his contribution, and after Air. J. Gray had been heard in a new setting of “Sun of my Soul.” a few bars of the National Anthem played by the Band brought the concert to a close.

' A peculiar point arose at tho Education Board meeting at New Plymouth last week out of tho annual meeting of householders to elect a School Committee at Uruti, in North Taranaki. The school had beon in charge of two commissioners in the preceding year, and these two gontlomen, on arriving at the school twenty-five minutes past tho appointed hour of seven o’clock, found five young men in the porch who informed them that the committee had already been elected. It appears that this new committee is composed of single mon, and that as the teacher is a single girl it renders tlie position awkward for her. Tlie commissioners asked the Board to decide whether the porch was the school in the meaning of tho Act. The Board confirmed tho election of the committeo.

Tho Alaoris of Rotorua are busy reerecting the pah that formed a part of tho attractions at the New Zealand International Exhibition grounds (writes a correspondent), all tlie carvings, and much of tho woodwork'having been conveyed to a site near AVhakarewarowa, fronting on the main road. This is being done in view of the visit of tlie American Fleet, but the pali will thereafter form one of the sights of this wonderful locality. Tho broad footpaths leading thereto from Rotorua are in excellent condition for walking and cycling, hut the road, which ■is being metalled an parts, and which is full of oiasty holes, is worse than on any part of the journey between Rotorua and Napier; indeed, the worst parts of the road in that long line are to be found at the Rotorua end most traversed by tourists.

A meeting of the committee of tlie Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals wa6 held on Saturday afternoon, Colonel Porter in the chair. An executive committee consisting of Mesdames DeLautour, AA ralker, and Porter, ' Alessrs Field and Peclcover, Rev. Grant, and Colonel Porter was appointed to attend to the work of the Society. It was decided to ask His Excellency tho Governor and Lady Plunket to becomo patrons, and to contribute one guinea towards the 'Central' Board of Advice. On the motion of Air. Field, £6 was voted to tho secretary (Air. R. Thelwall) in recognition of his services. A scheme was discussed to create interest in tho work of the Society among school children, and it was decided to offer n number of prizes among tho children ' of the district schools for the best essay on kindness to dumb animals,,

Now Zealanders have become so accustomed to tlie penny post that they nro apt to forget tho disadvantages they labored under before this reform was brought into effect. A correspondent to the “Sydney Morning Herald” recently wrote stating that the greatest boon which the Commonwealth could confer upon., bush families would .. be penny pest. “It is time,” she writes, "that the Government conceded some advantages in which families living .in tlie lonely, dull bush, and in out of tho way places, might participate. And nothing would he more welcome to them than a penny post rate. Tlie post in these sad, lonely places is their one excitement in tbo dreary day, or even week. Yet the present heavy postage almost debars this simple limans of civilisation. Tho. thoughts of thousands are voiced in saying. is too heavy a tax on letters in Australia.’ ” In the last files from Home it was reported on apparently good, authority that the youngest daughter of the late Crown Prince was horn with _ a Colorado silver fork in her mouth. A\ r c cannot, vouch for this, but this week it’s Colorado silver dessert forks for eightpence each at Parnell’s Popular Saturday Sales, Ist August only, ' ' ‘ ■ FOOTBALLERS. After the match is won or lost, try Dr. Sheldon’s Alagnetic Liniment for all bruises and strains. It will make you fit for your next struggle. Obtainable at A. AV.J. Mann’s, chemist, agent.