GOVERNMENT CAUCUS.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 40, 16 February 1920, Page 4

GOVERNMENT CAUCUS.

POSSIBLE FIFTY SUPPORTERS. NO MINISTERS ANNOUNCED. ■ (By Telegraph.—Special to "'Star.") WELLINGTON, Saturday. There were several absentees from the '' Government supporters' meeting this 1 afternoon owing to difficulties of travel r ' and sickness, but, counting those present v and accounted for, the Government total t '' is 43, probably 50, as a Minister put it | '!to your correspondent with a significant j smile. After a three hours' gathering,the ' '' Prime Minister declared to your corres--1 j pondent that it was the best meeting of * ' his supporters ever hold during the time 'I of the present Government. He stated v 'ithat future policy was discussed, and c views were expressed regarding Cabinet J vacancies, "but," he added, "I did not * submit any names to the meeting. ' Within a fortnight I will be able to v announce the names of two new Ministers. As Sir W. Eraser is still Minister of * Pr.blic Works, there is only one Minister ° less in Cabinet than was the case during last session. , j "During the meeting." Mr. Massey * added, "reference was made to the **• I splendid work done by Sir. Wm. Fraaer F .:during the time he has controlled thei* I i Public Works Department, and very feel- * ! ing references were made to the fact t J that this was the first time for many <■ J years that Mr. R. Scott's genial presence vvas not ?een at a party meeting. ' Mention was made of the good work Mr. j Scott had done, and the respect in which 1 j he is held by all members of the Govern-. s . ment party, and the hope was ex-|<; il pressed that his services would not bejt I lost to the country." I* It was gathered from other sources |* .that the Prime Minister indicated the If J probability of the first session of the)' s ,new Parliament being heavier than is * I usually the case, owing- to the urgent r | need of a comprehensive Education Act s II and Samoan legislation, as well as im- a important amendments of the Housing Act, a and the necessity for giving further j*. .[attention to pensions, labour laws, andjn i finance. He _• said to have mads itjt y plain that the portfolio -of Public Works |S '! will have to be placed in the hands of n ..an experienced Minister, the probability ; being, it was thought, that the Prime '.Minister himself would hold this re- ! sponsibiiity for a time. ' '' It was also understood that Sir James s \\ Alien's resignation was not likely to bell ! announced for several months, though aI 1 j report, to which I referred in a previous! ' I message, suggesting that he will remain . !in New Zealand until the session is i ! almost completed, was not corroborated l .I by caucus references. 1 I-A "Gazette" notice dated January 17, c iand published in the "Gazette" on i January 23, stated that the Governor- . General had accepted the resignation of *. the Hon. J. B. Hine as Minister of Inter- 1 nal Affairs. Last week's "Gazette" con- . tamed the notice of the appointment of ; Sir F. D. Bell to the position. 1 <