NEW AGENT-GENERAL FOR N.S.W.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1920, Page 4

NEW AGENT-GENERAL FOR N.S.W.

MAY BE RECALLED BY LABOUR. SYDNEY March 22. A curious situation which is not without its amusing side, may develophero, if a Labour Government holds power, in connexion with the recent appointment of an Agent-General to represet the State in London. Australia, as a whole, is represented in Britain by an enormously expensive High Commissioner establishment, and there is no reason on earth why this should not be slightly extended to meet the needs of the individual State Governments. But the State. Governments literally bellow defiance—all about State rights and centralisation, and things—whenever anything of the kind is suggested. The State AgentGeneraMiips are, with perhaps the single exception of Tasmania, a luxurious refuge for weary politicians of the faithful-party-hack type, and the various political cliques interested are determined to retain this, their most valuable perquisite. The other day, the New South Wales Government made a characteristic appointment to the Agent-Generalship— David Hall, to wit. David Hall, all his life, has never been anything, but a pai-ty politician. He is no orator, has no distinction as an administrator, ! and has never initiated anything worth while. He lia.s been the faithful friend of Holman, and followed him from the Labour emp to the camp of his old- | time enemies. When this election ap- ! proaclied, David Hall went vigorously after the Agent-Generalship. His defeat in his own constituency was practically certain and the future was full of terrors. Holman showed his greatest weakness—namely, his readiness to do anything for an y of the hangers-on he calls his friends, irrespective of how it may affect public interests—and he committed tho grave error of making this important appointment right on the eve of the election. Air Hall is to sail in a, few days’ time, and has already been officially farewelled. Now Labour looks like controlling the Government, and Labour says it is going to cancel the appointment. That, of course, is merely eye-wash: Labour will simply appoint one of its own hangers-on in Mr Hall’s place, and revenge itself on Mr 'Hall, whom it has never forgiven for following, Mr Holman on the no-conscription issue. Still —particularly to those who know Mr Hall—the position is distinctly funny.