AUSTRALIAN GOVERNOR

Southland Times, Issue 21093, 27 May 1930, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNOR

LOCAL NOMINEE QUESTION., ' CONSTITUTIONAL ASPECT. EARLY APPOINTMENT UNLIKELY. Sydney, May 1. An ill-timed controversy is proceeding in Australia regarding a proposal, if such a proposal there be, to appoint an Australian to .the position of Governor-General. There seems to be a great deal of justification for believing that the Federal Government has proposed to the Home authorities that the present Chief Justice of the Commonwealth should receive the appointment—thus breaking all precedent—but it must be born in mind that the whole report' lacks any confirmation. Even the Chief Justice, Sir Isaac Isaacs, takes up the attitude that he “knows nothing and therefore there is nothing to discuss.” There is just a suggestion that there might have been a little kite-flying on the part of Mr Scullin, the Prime Minister.

Mr Scullin has gone so far as to say that “these rumours are circulated without any authority from either Great Britain or Australia,” but he has not said that there is no justification. He is right when he says it is regrettable that names of possible successors to Lord Stonehaven should be bandied about in a public controversy, and he censured the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Latham) for being a party to it. Public Opinion. It was amazing, Mr Scullin’ said, to find Mr Latham discussing an appointment which.' the King at the moment might have under serious consideration. But there seems to be some significance in the sting which came at the end of Mr Scullin’s statement. What kind of an Australian is Mr Latham, he asked, when even a rumour that ■an Australian citizen may be chosen as the King’s representative puts him in a frenzy? What a weird conception of Empire Mr Latham must have when he suggests that the appointment of an Australian would weaken the ties of Empire. At the same time it is doubtful whether public, opinion in Australia favours the appointment of an Australian citizen. As far as the State office is concerned Australianborn Lieutenant-Governors would be welcomed, but in the wider sphere of the Commonwealth a more direct representative of the King seems to most people to be needed. It is pointed out that the Governor-General plays an important part in the event of a political crisis. Several alternatives are always open to him, and it is feared that a local nominee could never be free from a suspicion, at least of bias.

Link With Dominions. It cannot be denied that the GovernorGeneral maintains a definite link with the Dominions Office, and is able to exert a great influence when the need should arise. Secretly, more or less, the office has been used on more than one occasion in a manner having an important bearing on Empire policy. In such cases the holder of the office would need to be thoroughly independent if he is to carry any weight with the Government. The departure from the usual practice of leaving the nomination to the King, or to the British Government, for acceptance by the Australian Government, will not be criticised by Australians on . personal grounds, but because it might involve a serious break in inter-Imperial affairs. The report of the last Imperial Conference on inter-Imperial relations made it clear that the question was one of those supposed to have been decided. It is important to remember that the 1926 conference laid it down that the Governor-General was no longer to be a representative of the British Government, but the direct representative of the King. That might have meant that the appointment could no longer be recommended by the British Government. Wether or no, it is safe to say that no appointment could be forced on to a Dominion, and even if the King disagreed with any nominee he would have to submit in the end. A deadlock, therefore, is unlikely. It is possible that no appointment will be made before the next Imperial Conference.