WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 March 1928, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

SHADOWS OF ELECTION. MINISTERS ABROAD. (Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, March 12. Ministers who returned during the week-end from their electioneering excursions in the South Island express themselves as being better pleased by their receptions than they bad expected to be. They were prepared to find some definite indication of the “revulsion of feeling” against the Government of which they bad heard so much, some of it from their own political friends, but as a matter of fact they had- 'been received as cordially in both Canterbury and Otago as they bad been on the eve of the last general election. It was true that they had heard something of the insular jealousies which always exist, usually without any reasonable foundation. and that, they had been told of the rapid growth made by the Labour Party : but these were not new stories and, said one coninlacent Minister, “they are not causing ns any serious alarm.” The truth of the matter probably is. that the '.retelling Ministers did not put them - selves in the way of ascertaining the disposition of that great army of voters who are not yet talking polities. SAMOA. The announcement of the retirement of Sir George Richardson from the udmiuistrutni-shiji «,f the Mandated Territory of Western Samoa has set many tongues wagging eoncerniug New Zealand’s associations with the Pacific. 'Hue Prime Minister’s explanation of the reason for Sir George’s retirement, telegraphed from Invercargill on Friday, is not sari dying a ! ’sceptical public. “The select ion of General Richardson to represent New Zealand at Geneva.” Mr Coates informed the representatives of the newspapers, “is the reason which prevents bis re-appointment as Administrator on the expiry of bis present term of office.” So much was due to Sir George, in view of recent criticism. but a curious public wants to know what Sir George’s duties at Geneva will be and what are the particular qualifications required for theiidi.sell urge. There also, of course, are inquiries about the salary attached to. the new office which the great uninformed will insist upon regarding as a mere sinecure. Gossip concerning) the General's successor in Samoa has. Sir Apirana Ngata on the list, but the Prime Minister decrees that gossip must await “an announcement in due course.” anoth r;n reti remext. Mr F. J. .Tones’s retirement from the position of chairman of the Railway Board of Management “as from, the end of the current financial year this month” lias occasioned almost as much curiosity and even more speculation, than has Sfr George Richardson’s retirement from the administratorship of Western Samoa. Mr Jones is a capable and popular officer, considerably below fbe customary retiring age, and the public again wants to know why bis services should be lost to fbe State. Curiously enough if was common talk in Wellington that lie’was to go a week or two before the announcement of his desire to be relieved. ‘‘Whether or not this development will mean a complete change of the personnel of the hoard is not yet known,” says the “Dominion” in reviewing the position. At the street corner, however, one may bear that the whole administration of the railways is to bo overhauled and that the process will cnlail drastic changes in the management. No indication of anything of the kind lias conic from . olficial Mlltll'i l\

STILT. ,\XOTI I KIT. Still another retirement of veil , considernhie importance from the Civil Service was announced on Saturday, Tlic Hon. <). .1. Hawken, the Commissioner of State Forests, let it be known that Mr L. Macintosh Fills lutd asked to Tie relieved from :ha post of Director of Forestry and head of the New Zealand State Forest Service. Mr Ellis retires in order to return to consultative and directional forestry and forest engineering work with private and proprietary forest enterprises in Australia and New Zealand. It is another rase of private enterprise outbidding the State for the talents oT‘ a distinguished expert who has demonstrated his worth to the commercial world. Mr Ellis was appointed Director of Forests in 1920, and since then has ] rendered invaluable services lo the Dominion in organising and com redling tin- machinery and administration of tlie State-Forestry Department. The lesson for the Government, and indeed for the community, in the i> ss of Mr Ellis is that the Dominion should train its own experts, if necessarily abroad, and not depend upon importations.