SIR ISAAC ISAACS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1930, Page 5

SIR ISAAC ISAACS

GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA, FEARS FOR THE FUTURE. SYDNEY, December 11. Whatever criticism there has been in Sydney of the abandonment of trad itional policy in connection with the new Governor-General’s appointment has been based upon quite impersonal grounds, for the capacity of Sir Isaac Isaacs, and his distinguished place in Australian life, are generally recognised. The innovation is regarded by some people as quite a good thing, but unquestionably there is no, strong feeling in favour of it. What is feared by those who have given the matter any thought is that, apart from the fracture of an Imperial link, it inevitably will lead to these appointments eventually being coloured by Party politics with fairly obvious results in the event of a political crisis. Apropos of the encyclopaedic knowledge of Sir Isaac Isaacs, especially of languages ancient and modern, a good story is told of bis avidity to learn, even in the most unlooked-for quarters. It is to the effect that, in order to perfect bis knowledge of the Greek language, be was frequently to be .seen in conversation with a fruit vendor of that nationality.

The belief in Sydney is that his elevation, to the post of Governor-General will pave the way for the appointment to the High Court of the youthful but very capable New South Wales barrister, Dr Eyatt, K.(3., who has never tried to hide his strong Labour learnings, Dr Evatt—regarded as a very sound .constitutional lawyer—would look absurdly youthful alongside the elderly jurists of the High Court Bench ; but if Labour aims at fortifying itself in that domain of jurisprudence, the general view in Sydney is that it could go farther and fare worse. Dr Evatt’s appearance in the forthcoming Mungana case, in which ;\l.r Theodore is concerned, will make the latest of the big cases with which he has been associated.