SELECTING A GOVERNOR

Hokitika Guardian, 21 November 1929, Page 8

SELECTING A GOVERNOR

DOMINIONS AND .CROWN

(Auckland Star.)

Now that it has become necessary to select a Governor-General for New Zealand as ’well as for Australia, the whole question of these appointments has a special interest for the Dominion and the Commonwealth. Tin-

proposal that a colonial public man should he chosen for such positions has often been discussed, but in Australia

it lias been entertained nufre seriously since the Labour Government took office. For the cry for a “local product” to fill the post of -State Governor, or (wen of Governor-General, is particularly popular among the Australian workers, and it is not likely that they will lose the opportunity of impressing their view upon the Imperial authorities through the agency of Mr -Scullin.

ft may be worth pointing out that, according to the authorities on constitutional law, there is no reason why a local personage should not be nominated as governor of a State. But since 192 G the Governor-General of a Dominion has been officially designed as “the personal representative of, FI is Majesty,” and it is doubtful if a. suggestion to elevate a “colonial” to a post of such eminence would he welcomed at Home. The attitude of the Crown toward this question is particularly interesting just now because of the rumour that the Federal Labour Party intends to move for the appointment of a local Governor-General. It has been stated more or less officially that “the King will be guided by bis Australian Ministers,” but it is not likely that tlie-y will take action without learning something about His Majesty’s opinions on this point beforehand.

But whatever be the difficulties„of the situation, and however they may he solved, it is important to understand clearly the reasons and motives that underlie the movement operating in Australia, and to some extent in New Zealand, in favour of a local Governor-General. The principal causes seem to he dissatisfaction because the highest office in the State has hitherto been beyond the reach of even the most eminent and capable “colonial,” and resentment arising out of the conviction, that officials imported from Home, however distinguished or able they may be, can never get the colonial point of view, and can never wholly sympathise with the aspirations and ideals of the people of “the Empire oversea.” There is something to be said for both these arguments, and more especially for the latter; hut the alternative policy certainly presents difficulties of its own. In the first place, we may well doubt if a position of such dignity and authority can be thrown open, in any sense, to public competition without seriously disorganising the political and public life of the country. The experience of the Americans does not suggest that results thus secured are tile best attainable. And, quite part from the dangers that may be entailed upon the State by unscrupulous ambition and the -pressure of vested interests, where such a prize is at stake, it is certain that there would be almost insuperable difficulties in the way of ensuring freedom from political or local bias and absolute impartiality in the case of any “colonial” raised to such high authority.

In the ease of a nominated Govern-or-General, there is no theoretical reason why the Crown in making such a,n appointment should not select the “colonial” candidate indicated by the Dominion Government concerned. But if such officials are to be nominees, there are obvious advantages in a system which supplies as the visible Head of the State, and the sign and symbol of Royalty', some distinguished and experienced “servant of the Empire” invested ,with a large share of Imperial dignity and removed far above the local and political jealousies and rivalries that so frequently' convulse colonial public life. Assuredly, the Governor-General under the present system is a far more effective “bond of Empire” than any' “local product” could hope to be; and wo incline to the belief that the ingenious suggestion of Mr Tielman Rons, that the Dominions should he converted into “kingdoms under sovereigns from the Royal House of England” is more likely to take effect than the Australian.' Labour plan of semidetached States governed by Presidents selected by the workers themselves.