Cabinet needs a healthy Mr Gair —Mr Lange

Press, 13 April 1984, Page 6

Cabinet needs a healthy Mr Gair —Mr Lange

PA Wellington The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Lange, said yesterday he hoped the Minister of Transport, Mr Gair, would soon be able to return to Parliament restored to vigour. Mr Lange said he had sent that message to Mr Gair, who was in hospital for surgery to remove a bowel tumour. Mr Gair was “one of the few Ministers capable of keeping things in order,” Mr Lange said.

Of the rest of the Cabinet, he said, “There is an awful air of descending anticlimax about the whole thing.” Meanwhile, the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, said he did not intend to reshuffle the Cabinet before the General Election. He said none of the health problems of three Ministers would cause him to change that intention “at this moment.” Sir Robert said there “must be a question mark over" the Minister of Cus-

toms, Mr Allen, who has been given leave for health reasons, “but if he is fit enough to carry on, all right.” He said the prognosis for Mr Gair was that after a due time he will be back working normally. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Highet, who is home from hospital recuperating from a severe viral infection has “the same prognosis, that he will be Back working normally,” said Sir Robert.

Mr Highet had suffered a “very serious illness” because of his reaction to some treatment and “was quite critical at one point” But Mr Highet was long past that and Y ‘it is a matter just now of recovery.” He said that in spite of the absences of Ministers the work of the Government was proceeding normally. “We are up with the play, on top of our jobs. There is no concern in my mind. None at all.”