The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORTED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 915. AUSTRALIA'S HIGH COMMISSIONER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 48, 26 June 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORTED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 915. AUSTRALIA'S HIGH COMMISSIONER.

If Australia wore not compelled to give her. greatest attention to war matters there would he a great deal of discussion over the announcement that Sir George Reid, Australia’s first High ( Commissioner, must leave that position at the end of the year. The announcement hy .Mr Fisher, the Commonwealth Rremier, is definite on this point, hut he also states he cannot say at all who is likely to succeed Sir George Reid. It is, however, persistently reported that Mr Fisher will himself take the post, leaving the Federal Attorney-General (Mr Hughes) his successor as Prime .Minister. One will almost search in vain for an Australian who says that Sir George Reid was not the best man who could have been chosen to represent Australia at the heart ol the Empire, it is said. Most Australians admit that Sir George had done and is doing exceedingly well for his country in that high post which calls for special qualities. But the Federal Government has decreed that he must go now. There is no pension attached to the appointment, and as Sir George is reputedly not a rich man. it seems that he will on his return have to apply himseli to the restoration of his practice as lawyer, which he sacrificed in order to accept the High Commissionership. It is not surprising, as one correspondent puts it, that some people speak of the business as an “extreme, highly unjust, and generally undesirable carrying out by the present Ministry of tin l doctrine of spoils to the victors in Australian party politics.” It is certainly a great pity that Sir George cannot l>e left alone in a position he has for so many years so very ably filled. But thereds little gratitude for public service anywhere, and while Party Government continues to be the method of administration in Bri-tish-speaking countries w u cannot hope for anything bettor.