The Press TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1963. Cabinet Problems

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30310, 10 December 1963, Page 16

The Press TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1963. Cabinet Problems

The difficulties ot the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) in reorganising his Cabinet are so considerable that he must wish the loss of Mr: Goos .nan and Sir Leon' Gotz had not given him ! this responsibility. Another, vacancy may result from! the illness of Mr Tennent; but three places will not: go far among more than a dozen candidates who are| entitled to respect. Of these, at least 10 would probably i prove more competent than: some of the existing team, several have some claim to I consideration on account of; seniority, and one. Sir Les-j lie Munro, cannot be quite: ruled out of consideration j because of his lack of i Parliamentary experience,’ though in the circumstances! he must be passed over ini favour of men of proved | political capacity. Our Wellington staff reporter suggests that Mr Holyoake may half-solve | the problem of who to leave out by giving one of I the present Cabinet a diplomatic post, by relieving' another Minister of his port-: folio, and by increasing the; size of the Cabinet to make,j perhaps, six vacancies in j all. As to the last point, does the business of government really require 18 chiefs and only 27 braves? Some of the present Cabinet of 17 have had light administrative loads that should not be made lighter. Nor would the addition of one more office do much to satisfy the aspirations af the keen men Mr Holyoake uftl have to disappoint. To ask one or more of the present Ministers to stand down is a different matter, though one with few precedents in this country and one requiring courage on the Prime Minister's part. In a legislature as small and

intimate as the New Zealand House the ruthlessness

of British Cabinet reconstructions is impossible, particularly while Labour retains its system of election by caucus. Accordingly, the dismissal of even a single Minister would appear to many citizens a more serious matter than it really is. Not all Cabinet Ministers turn out as well as expected—the 1946' Labour Cabinet furnished one example—and it would be no disgrace if those who fell short of anticipations were asked to make way for others entitled to office. To the third idea, the appointment of a Minister to an overseas post, there can be no objections in either I principle or practice proivided the man is fitted for I the job. However, the fact remains I that, whether there are j three, four, five, or six vacancies, capable men will ! remain on the back benches. ! There is nothing wrong I with that. The House of ’ Representatives could not perform its duties properly ,if it had only a dozen I strong men on each side land a bunch of nonentities {to round out the illusion of a legislative chamber. Be- : sides, back-benchers can ! render signal service. The j member for Egmont (Mr Sheat) is a case in point. Cabinet rank has eluded him; but as the author of the Sheat report, on which the National Roads Board was founded, he has left a bigger mark in New Zealand history than many Ministers. Most of the younger aspirants have iplenty of time to realise {their ambitions; and Mr i Holyoake should not worry too much about trying to ' make an extra place or two I for them now.