VACANCY IN THE CABINET

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24075, 11 October 1943, Page 4

VACANCY IN THE CABINET

PROSPECTS OF MR WILLIAMS

SOUTH ISLAND MINISTERS IN MAJORITY The possibility of Mr C. Morgan Williams being appointed to the vacancy in the Cabinet caused by the defeat of the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. J, G. Barclay.) is being discussed by Labour Party circles in Canterbury. Some attention has also been given to his prospects in the North Island, where, however, the view is taken that ihe Labour caucus will not be favourably disposed towards increasing the preponderance of South Island Ministers. Mr E. L. Cullen, Hawke's Bay, though he is less well known than others who might be chosen, is also strongly in the running for the post. Ordinarily, the next in line for Cabinet rank would be Mr A. G. Osborne, who stands well with the party and is considered to have done good work during the absence from New Zealand of the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones). He is one of the two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries to the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser). However, as the vacant position is that of Minister of Agriculture, it is thought more likely that it will go to one of the farmer members of the party. The three of these mentioned as possible Ministers are Messrs Williams, Cullen, and B. Roberts (Wairarapa). Mr Roberts is a strong contender for the portfolio, but, in view of the difficulty Ministers of Agriculture have in holding their seats, it is against him that he holds his by only a narrow margin. Mr Cullen, on the other hand, won his seat handsomely. The Government has already shown confidence in him by his appointment to the Rehabilitation Board. Mr Williams’ independence of thought may handicap him in the selection, but a bigger handicap would probably be that his appointment would give the South Island nine of the 15 Labour Ministers. Two Possibilities

Two possibilities which may come before caucus are the appointment of a man holding a city seat as Minister of Agriculture to avoid jeopardising his prospects at the next General Election and the relieving of the Minister of Agriculture of marketing. This was previously administered by the Minister of Finance. Excluding the Hon. A. Hamilton (South Island) and the Hon. W. Perry (North Island), whose appointments are only to the War Cabinet, there are 15 members of the Executive Council, eight from the South Island and seven (including Mr Barclay, whose resignation is expected soon) from the North Island. The South Island members are the Hons. D. G. Sullivan, F. Jones, P. Webb, A. H. Nordmeyer, J. O’Brien, C. F. Skinner, A. McLagan, and E. T. Tirikatene. The six from the North Island, other than Mr Barclay, are the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, and the Hons. W. Nash, R. Semple, H. G. R. Mason, WE. Parry, and D. Wilson. It is probable that there will be some adjustments of portfolios, and is generally believed that a new field will be found for Mr Wilson, but anything _in the nature of a major ‘reorganisation of the Cabinet would come as a surprise to Parliamentary circles.