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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 59, 27 July 1912, Page 4

THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP. ! If merit is allowed to count in the filling f of the post vacated by Sir William Hall- ) Jones, there is only one man the Govern- | ment can appoint, and that is the Hon. iT. Mackenzie. The names of others have been suggested—Sir Joseph Ward, i Sir Robert Stout and 1 Sir W 7 m. Russell. Sir Joseph Ward does not want the position, which he could have had during the short reign of Mr. Mackenzie's Government, and it is probable that even were he willing the present Government would not give him the appointment. Sir Robert Stout, estimable and capable man as he is, is impossible. He knows little about commerce and finance, and the man New Zealand wants as its ambassador to London must have a complete grip of both. There are obvious objections to the appointment of Sir William Russell, whose claims, by the way, are being urged by the Government's mouthpiece, -the Wellington Dominion, and those of Mr. Mackenzie discounted. The position is accurately summed up by the Wairarapa Age, a 'faithful follower of Mr. Massey for many years. It says."Wo make bold to say that if the Massey Government desires to wreck its career at the outset, it requires only to offer j the High Commissionership to the Squire ■ of Flaxmere. During a long and admittedly honorable political career, Sir William Rusaell was associated with a party which obstructed every measure of a pro-1 gressive Liberal character. His sympathies were entirely with the claas to which he belonged, and he failed to realise the growth and development of popular sentiment. He'was. and is, in fact, an ideal representative of that old school of Conservatism which can find no place in the future history of this Dominion. Whatever may be'his qualifications for the position of High Commissioner—and we are prepared to admit that ha would I be a suitable figure-head, if only that wers required—the'offering of the ap- ' pointaient to a gentleman of such pro-' nounced Conservative instincts would at j once ' identify the Massey Government! with a political class for which New Zealand has declared over and over again that it has absolutely no use. The hope j for the future of Mr. Massey as Prime ! Minister lies entirely in his adhering to those fixed principles which ho has him- | self enunciated from the public platform, and to which a not inconsiderable section of hi* followers are pledged. If, in the first important appointment he has the responsibility of making, he shows a leaning towards the old Conservative school, he will alienate the sympathy of a large section of the community, and immediately jeopardise his own position and that .of his party." The paper goes on to support the candidature of Mr. Mackenzie, who, it shows, ha* special qualifications for the position. 1 Party considerations should not count in the filling of important appointments like this, and it j would be much to the Government's credit if it departed from a practice which, it must be admitted, has unfortunately had too much vogue in this country in the past of making appointments rewards for faithful party service. Should the right thing be done and Mr. Mackenzie be elevated to the high office of High Commissioner, the Egmont seat, of course will become vacant. There should not be any dearth of candidates. Already several names have been mentioned. The late member, Mr. Dive, is represented as being desirous of entering the lists. Mr. Dive should spare himself the trouble and expense. He was an unqualified failure whilst in the House, and it is unlikely that the electors would give 'him another chance. Mr. Wilkinson, it is reported, would be a likely starter. He is in an entirely different category to Mr. Dive. He is able, forceful, and would acquit himself with credit in the counsels of the nation. A man, however, who has greater claims to nomination than he is Mr. E. Maxwell, who, we think, would on national as well as local grounds be acceptable to the moderate members of either party. He has had a long, distinguished and honorable career in the public life of Taranaki. his services in connection with the Harbor Bill, under which the ratepayers are practically freed from the ]Kiyment of rates, alone entitling him to the greatest honor within the gift of the people of the district. Then the names of Mr. W. T. Jennings. ex-M.P. of Tauiuanimii. Mr. Wake, ex-Mayor of Kltli.'im, and Mr. D. J. Hughes, a prominent public man of the Waimate Plains, are mentioned, so that there will evidently be no lack of material from which to select a suitable successor to Mr. Mackenzie in the representation of Eg-mont electors, should he bf» appointed tr the high office to which his special qualifications entitle him.