Comment From The Capital

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28371, 2 September 1957, Page 12

Comment From The Capital

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, September 1. When Mr K. J. Holyoake assumes the office of Prime Minister at the end of the session, it is unlikely he will make any Cabinet changes before the General Election. If the Government is returned at the election, a major Cabinet reshuffle is inevitable and with it will come the appointment of at least two new Ministers, probably three. Mr T. L. Macdonald has carried the External Affairs and Defence posts, but together they have been too much work for one man. Mr D. J. Eyre, the Minister of Police, has acted for Mr Macdonald in the defence position and is certain to get promotion. The final resting place of External Affairs is not so certain. Mr R. M. Algie, the Minister of Education, has deputised in this portfolio regularly but he is not favoured as the permanent Minister. He is the only member of the original 1950 Cabinet who has not had an overseas trip. Mr Holyoake, or Mr T. P. Shand, the Postmaster-General, could possibly take external affairs. '

Agriculture The future of the agriculture appointment is one that is causing much speculation. Mr Holyoake has held what was traditionally known as a “political suicide job” for seven years with distinction and he may not want to relinquish it. There is ample -precedent for him to act as Prime Minister and retain the portfolio. With New Zealand essentially a primary producing country, a head of state handling trading negotiations personally is generally in a good bargaining position. Mr R. G. Gerard, the Minister of Social Security, who was appointed to Cabinet only this year, may be given the Lands post; and if Mr Holyoake let agriculture go he would be in the running for that, but Mr S. W. Smith, the Minister of Internal Affairs, has been tipped for the agriculture inheritance. Mr J. Rae (Roskill) and Mr N. L. Shelton (Rangitikei) are likely to be new Ministers if the Government is returned. * Deputy Leader? In the view of more than one political observer, the Minister of Finance (Mr J. T. Watts) has by winning National -Party support as the candidate for Fendalton, done much to enhance his prospects of becoming deputyleader of the par|y. The choice of deputy is thought to lie between Mr Watts and the Attorney-General (Mr J. R. Marshall) . Mr Marshall holds the “safe” Karori seat and had been in a stronger position while Mr Watts was in a shaky electorate, St. Albans. With virtual .security of tenure in Fendalton, he would not be a deputyrleader ysmose future in the House of Representatives was always doubtful.

The Exceptions Although it has been announced that no taxation on income earned tn 1957-58 will be levied, one group has been paying tax on income earned since the financial year began on April—travellers leaving New Zealand for overseas and who have to be cleared by the Inland Revenue Department before they can depart. The Minister of Finance (Mr J. T. Watts) was asked this week whether refunds would be made of tax paid on travelers’ incomes this year. The amount of refunds rims into thousands of pounds and it is said that it would be administratively difficult for the department to trace its “creditors” overseas to make the refunds. A system • of claims from affected travellers would have to be entertained if refunds* were permitted. Mf Watts said he would “clarify” the point when legislation to implement P.A.Y.E. is introduced in the House of Representatives. High School “An excellent reply” to every point in favour of Aranui as a site for a new post-primary school in Christchurch as against Rawhiti will be offered to the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Al£ie) during the week by a deputation seeking that the school be built on the Rawhiti site. A report .from the Education Department says that a postprimary school at New Brighton would be limited in size and Aranui people would “undoubedly” prefer to send their children to Linwood, Shirley and Avonside schools. The cost of developing the Rawhiti Domain site (assuming the City Council approved) would be £13.000 to £14,000 greater than the “perfectly good” site already

held at Aranui, according to the report.

The secretary of the “Four New Brighton Schools Committee” pressing for Rawhiti (Mr E. F. Wilde) says that every one of the points raised in the report has been covered in a case prepared some time ago. Mr Algie will receive the depution at 2 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon in Wellington. Town Planning The Minister in charge of the Town and Country Planning Amendment Bill now before Parliament (Mr W. S. Goosman) has acceded to a request by the Christchurch Regional Planning Authority that the bill should' be considered by a select committee and that the authority should be permitted to appear before the committee and make representations. The authority has already prepared a considerable volume of evidence to present to the committee. Place Names The Lands and Survey Department has prepared a comprehensive gazetteer of place names, with historical n’otations, for the Ross Dependency in the Antarctic. Author

Correcting the final chapters of a new book he has written is Mr Warren Freer, 37-year-old Labour Member of Parliament for Mount Albert.

Mr Freer’s subject is the political aspects of a journey through Asia two years ago when he visited 11 countries in sevenmonths. A leading publisher in London has accepted the book for publication early next year. Wine Report A delay in printing was behind the Attorney-General’s move to have the time by which the report of the Parliamentary Wine Industry Committee could be presented to the House of Representatives extended. The report should , have been brought down before > the end of August but will not now appear for about another 10-days. Members of the committee were, given proof copies of the report this week-end.

The report is a voluminous one. One of the recommendations that may well be in the report is that wine should be allowed to be served in approved restaurants.