THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, JULY 16, 1911. THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10288, 17 July 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, JULY 16, 1911. THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP.

The rumour that Sir William HallJones intended retiring from the JU-gh Coanimisj-ionership of New Zealand has proved well-founded. A oaible message received on Saturday intimated that the retirement would take effect from August 31st. It ha® ibeen known for some time that the health of the High Commissioner has beea imsatisfactory, and that he desired to .be relieved of his position. Tho .point which mostly concern© New Zealand at the .present time is as to'the .successor, of Sir. W. HallJones. There are hot a few who will immediately 'conclude that Sir Joseph "Ward, Bart., will appropriate (th/a position for himself. As again® this, at must be remembered, that Sir. Joseph is an exceedingly ambitious •man, who would not relish the idea of accepting directions from others. Had his Imperial Council proposals been accepted, he would have founii a congenial position ©hould he survive that august body. Should he survivo the .elections, he may still be offered a position on the advisory sub-com-mittee suggested by British Ministers at the recent Conference, which would be something more in keeping with his dignity than a mere High Commissionership. Of course, on his return he may sum up the probabilities of bis defeat at the elections and consider it iconwenient tjo perform the trick of bir George Reid. : Taking everything into account, however, the probabilities are flhat Sir Joseph will look for bigger game. Who, then, is the most probefble successor to Sir Wflliaoa SfidiJones ? Sir John Findlay possesses, •some of the qualities necessary to fill the position,- but hj« has the Jjrasineis* training. Moreover, tub apj*oSnjkoieht would not meet Tfitß tarr4me ft) K« own party. Of tbt ro■adMhg Xfhiater&j there is only one wtfo eould «atas£aotorily fill th« bill

at the present time. That one is the Hon. Thos. Mackenzie. The Minister for Agriculture lias on acquaintance with the great exporting industries of the' Dominion which, is possessed, by inone of his colleagues. He has previously spent a period in England investigating the frozen meat industry, and he knows 1 something of the disabilities' of other branches of trade. In view of the fact that bis present electorate is likely to be wiped out by the Boundaries Commissioners, that a place in the Ministry must be found for Mr MoNiaib in the event of bis. being returned, and of the probability that Sir Joseph Ward, Dart., considering the position iheneath bis dignity, the indications point directiy to the appointment being offered to the Hon. Thomas' Mackenzie, Minister for Agriculture.

WHAT IS A "WOWSER?"

There is a section of the Masterton community which uses the term "wowser" with impunity. It is quite evident that it doesi not know the meaning of he word. A "wowser" is a Chinese expression. In the land of Confucius it signifies a,n individual of 'high standing, integrity, and probity of character. The "anti-wow-ser" element in Chin*, is the low, uneducated, ignorant, criminal .class. The Masterton. young man who uses the expression glibly should remember, therefore, that he not only pays a.compliment to the person he calls a "wowser," but he places himself in the category of the low-type Chinaman.