Governor of Tasmania (Mr. Macartney's Appointment). (Hansard, 16 December 1912)

§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILL

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that Mr. William Ellison Macartney, the deputy master of the Mint since 1903, who has been appointed to the Governorship of Tasmania, was a grand master of the Orange Society, Member of the House of Commons in the Orange interest for South Antrim from 1885 till 1903, and has filled the position in a Unionist Administration of Secretary to the Admiralty from 1895 till 1900; whether he is aware that the conduct of Mr. Macartney, when deputy master of the Mint, as a permanent official in the Civil Service, in expressing his opinion as to the candidate whom it would be desirable to elect in the Unionist interest for the constituency of West Down, was brought, on 27th April, 1904, by way of Question in the House of Commons, to the notice of the Unionist Government of the day and was excused 1127W by the Leader of the House of Commons of that day, the right hon. Member for the City of London, on the ground that his recommendation of a Parliamentary candidate was based on a casual conversation and unauthorised; whether, before the recommendation of Mr. Macartney as Governor of a State enjoying responsible government, the view of the Government of Tasmania were ascertained; if, having regard to his political antecedents, he would be acceptable to the people of Tasmania, who are supporters of Home Rule, and in whose population there is a large Irish Nationalist element; and whether, having regard to the fact that Sir Henry Blake, who was appointed Governor of Newfoundland in 1887, was transferred a few months subsequently to Jamaica owing to the repugnance of the public of that Colony to the position of its Governor being filled by a gentleman who had entirely opposed the Home Rule movement in Ireland, the question of Mr. Macartney's appointment to the Governorship of Tasmania will be reconsidered?