THE NEW CABINET.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 401, 9 January 1909, Page 7

THE NEW CABINET.

"THE TIMES'' QN THE MINISTRY. - CONCILIATORY ELEMENTS. 1 . 'tpf Tm.EOUArn-rRUS ajsocmtW) . (Reo. January 9, 1.3 a.m.)' London, January 8. Commonting Joseph .Ward's diffi■culty in, forming his Cabiiiqt,' "Tho Times" *aypthat-his majority .is amplo for all jpractioal purposos; and, it can bo maintained," tho Liberal prospects .will remain .trigW;,,. Conciliatory, .;an4;.<Worp: moderate «lemo'uts have bcon introduced in pursuance of Sir Joseph Ward's advioe in favour of a period; of repose after tho. somowhat feverish legislative activity'qf . the last few years; and this [in tiirnibay'rosult in a working majority fcr tho Government for years to come. TOO MANY MINISTERS. (fJt TUtEOIIAt'H-rritlvS? ASSOCIATION.) '.v- ; -.v ! Auckland, January 8. . Leader of the Opposition, .interviewed this afternoon with regard i to ; : ihe, Cabfnet.ohftnges,, remarked"l am very stronglyof -opinion that 'the wrong thing is being done in-i,increasing the number;or Ministers, and in support - of,, that opinion •I may say that sinpo the. v end:-' pf last session Ministers havo been able- to give most of -their-time to electioneering instead! of looking afterbusinesa df 'tlieir Departments. Besides, in> proportionto the number of monibeja in tho Bouse of Representatives, there are too many of whatmay : bo called; official-votps, Now, nine Ministers and two f votes altogether-r-to start with-on; every, question, whether right or wrong, is too much of an advantage?' Ho ridiculed the suggestion that Mr. Carroll was so -overworked--as to require Mr. Ngata's .tssistanc?; 0 j . ''. CHAIRMANSHIP OF: COMMITTEES. NAMES SUGGESTED. (BY TEI.EGttAJ'H—J'ItBSS ASSOCIATION.) . >■■■;Cliriptohurch, January 8, Tho Liberal party will endeavour to fecure the nomination o£' Mr; T. .H. Davey, member for Christchurcli -Chairman of Committees, r-Mr,: Baume -.will also receive a measureiof support, " It seems fairly certain that -the. ultimate -selection-will bo between these .twovand 'Mr.-- T. M. Wilford. MR, M'NAB AND THE THAMES SEAT. HIS OWN STATEMENT. (BT TELEGtUNI—I'tfSSS ASSOCIATION.) Invorcarcill, January 8.

.liiiunaihiii, u juuaijr o, In view .of .the statements that have been made, with regard to the possibility of Mr. I M'Nab going back te Cabinet by tvay of the i vacant .Thames seat, that i gentleman was in-: terviewed here on the arrival, of the lato express ti jto-night. and ;?sked-::ppint/ blank how:, much w;as in the' rumour. • Mr, M'Nab said;, "I have never been approached to. contest tlio Thames- seat. Of course,- it is" so far from my,-homo that I-would'not think of putting myself fonyard unless, it was the desire-of.- the: leading : people: in Cihe. .Thames that , I should do. so: -/There , may be local men who desire to succeed Mr. M'Gowan, but Tam not aware of the conditions.?' Mr. M'Nab further stated that the rumour that he "proposed to sell . out .of . Knapdale and purchase land_in tho North Island was untrue.'-' Tlie.'reason ;for,' "his present visit vto Knapdale was that ho desired, to make ar-. rangements for the carrying on of ..the. estate during , his absenco in ■ Wellington, where'.he would haveto .in"-, connection' with ■ihe'. publicatioii'.'of his boqk,'/-;' X-y/Mi i:;;i ; NO 1 ]; IN THE "LUCKY ONES." ~ ■ (BI fELECItAZ'U—BPF.CIAI, CORItESPONDENT.) ; ' Chrlstchurcli,-January 7. M»'Bllr- M.P.j"was''generally- c oulogistift • of • the now-.Ministers in speaking ;to a "Preiis"-" interviewer. ■> '!Of course,'' he added,'-."irf . view of t]ie fact- that: my : name had been per-' sistentlyinssoeiatedwith the possibility of appointment,..rl jwould. be-naturally muck leas than human if I did not feel disappointed,-yet-I recognise my-duty to be-perfectly plain. It is to .co-operate l with-those- who have been selected t'o_; the high .office, of administrators, and to •assist, them'-iti tho discharge of. their responsibilities; in order that the best gov-? ernment of the' Dominion may bo sccurcd with the' greatest amount of bene|t to tho community." Mr. Laurenspn also said - some amiable things 'of each /of' tho new .Ministers'. .: Questioned'.' 'as': to • the'-, reason; why;' he'.'ha's . not been one of the "lucky ones," Mr. Laurenson . said, ' 'This question has already been put, to me by a number of people. • All -I can say, in reply is that I would rather havo peo-ple-asking why I have not beon appointed than'; have Jiad them;. asking. why; $uch .an honour had been conferred upon me." Asked as to his opinions of. the now Ministers in regard;tp the land'■ question. Mr, Lanrejison; said he-wpuld rathor not express any opinion on that subject at the present juncture. •-A COMMON-SENSE CABINET. Mr, R,\B. Ross, M.P. for Pahiatua. in conversation with a Dominion reporter, speaking, os; one of _the rank and file of the Ministerial party, said he considered' that' the selection of-members of tho Cabinet was,a matter for the Prune Minister alone..' : When the House, met, • or when " the [Prime .'Minister had .announced his policy, it would be for the private members' to express their views on that policy, and state whether they would support it or not. He thought- Sir Joseph Ward, in his reoonstruqtion of. the Ministry, had shown a .considerable amount of one of the . most valuable qualities a public man-could possess —common 'sense. - Ho was ,looking forward hopefully -to the- announcement: of a policy which ho'.and - thoso who .had .returned him, to Parliament could support, : ' ; v :

THE PRESS ON THE CABINET. A Heterogenoous Ministry. , "There is little doubt that the additions .to ■ the Cabinet-will:-strengthen it "both in Parliament and the country/' says the "Hawke's Bay Herald!'. "Mr.R. M'Ken?ie, Mr. Mr. 'I. Mackenzie are all reare certainly lnbn :.of i convictions, and ( .they .are : politicians of.-standing. and oxpcrience. Mr, Buddo is Hot so prominent a- character in Parlia- ' utentary life, but on':the. whole it is probable ' that the Premier cptild'"riot have-done bet- . tor: Biit'.it'isniotewbrthy'-that,. in spite of the burden of work which he has - already to cope with,' he hap -not been able to' find any- . body to'whom he could ontrnst the poltfolio ■ of' Lands; r.nd'he been constrained to ,add : that Department to the largo number which he already personally controls. One reason for*;, thisi course is probably the diversity of : opinion; among Ministers; with regard to tho v-j- question of'Tand tenure. ..This is-accentuated by ; tlio"new: appointments, Mr. Hogg is a leaseholder, IJr. Buddo believes in tho freehold;" a'lid wo gather than Mr. T. Mackenzie and Mr. R. M'Kenzie are likewise opposed in their views on'.this subject. We must coii- .' elude- that tho" Premier is_ determined tli.it there"shall -be no' change m tho law. Mr. - Buddo's 1 appointment to tho Department of Internal: Affairs places tho head of that Department in the House of Representatives, as should'be the case. ' Not so satisfactory 'is the choice of. Mr. Hogg, as Minister for Custpms." ,'We do not., know that this will-give, satisfaction to (he farming community. Nor Jo we regard witn satisfaction tho ideritifica- . tion of!the Cabinet with.Mr, Ngata's.views on 'Native land, Indeed we do not sco why the .Native race should hr.ve two representatives, in -tho . Cabinet; -: But with a Ministry of'-such-a heterogoneous.dcscription it is im : ■ - possible to tell what the'filial result; : on policy may bo," : . • ■ ■■' •"Rather Pleased." ■■■ ■; ■ ('Taking the now.'...Liberal Ministry ;as a whole,;;w.o_ are rather pleased' with it,"-says tho "Wairarapa Daily Times."- "The com- / bination should prove strong, both' as regards .debating - power and administrative ability. At pro&ent the urgent need is rather

for an impvoved administration. We venturo to hope that tho reconstructed Ministry will be strong enough to hold without eternally racing about Now Zealand, and .that it will havo tnoigood senso to abandon the pernicious habit of attending banquets. We trust the' new Ministers .will, put in steady work at their respective offices -in the Empire City, and learn the routine of their new 'duties.before they begin to take eirous trips about the country. With a fairly strong allround Ministry and &n Opposition party which is no longer insignificant, wc may to onco more see tho best traditions of constitutional government carried out in New Zealand, : In past years wo have brokori away from time-honoured moorings and have indulged in almost profligate rule/' Talents "Spoolallsctf."

Tho " Manawatu Daily; Times " says:— '"There, is little question that the Premier has 'dealt cleverly, diplomatically, and effectively with a difficult position, and has a stronger and better placed team to-day than has been on the benches for several years past, while he has 'specialised' the talents of his colleagues new and old." Tho Premier a Freeholder. Tho " Wairarnpa Age," referring to the Premier's explanation as to why ho has accepted the portfolio of Lands,, says:— 1 11 Sir Joseph Ward's action is chivalrous and brave, and we freely confess that in our opinion .he has chosen in the Government party the most capable member that lie could have selected to bo Minister for Lands; The position of Minister' for Landß is no sinecure; of him much is expected, and the land question is by no means settled in this Dominion. The Premier is, wo believe, a freeholder; and we trust that future legislation will show him to be unfailingly true, to his convictions on the great land tenure question." '/'Strong Individually and Collectively. , Tho " Tarannki Daily Nows" considers the new Cabinet a strong one, individually and collectively. "At the same time, 'we badhoped room might have been found- for the representative for Taumarunui, Mr. W, T.' Jennings, whose ; claims have been, almost universally recognised by the press • of. the i Dominion. The more prominent of the others having claims for selection, and Who have .been passed over, are Mr. LaurensonJ and Mr.- Bauine, but we would not like to stato : that either gentlemen-would be an improvement on the appointments made," North v. South. .. .The- "Manawatu' Standard" says Tho outstanding feature:of the'' new'; appointments' ig the increased representation the South Island has obtained in tho new Ministry, and in' this;'respect the North Island, to our mmd, has good cause to quarrel with.'the. .Premier .- . .-, . In 'debating power, the Cabinet has been strengthened by , its recon-: struction, and, .-besides having a more equal distribution of portfolios, the Premier will ablo to commence , the session with abler .colleagues . than. those . who supported him. in. tho last Parliament." ■■■ Room for Mr. Ngata. ■ Tho "WangauuiHerald" says: "The elova-1 tion, of Messrs. Hogg, Buddo,, R, ■ M'Kcn?ie, T. Mackenzie, and the able young Maori laWt ypr Ngata to ; Cabinet rank should greatly strengthen.| the Government, though there are' sure to bo disappointed . place-seekers. The appointment l of Mr. Hogg in oharge of Labour should give very general satisfaction to the workers, for no member of tho House 'has the interests of that class of the com-, munity more aifc heart than^''h'ei- a'ssist-j .anco of Ngata, too; in the Native Depart-' 1 ment, is also a oommendable stop, for that branch of the pnblio servico is ■ notoriously in need of-reform, and. if his services could i be utilised in the administration of Native ■ lands ; the' and ■ the Dominion l'generally -would benefit considerably.", i : :.;

Not As Strong As Boforo. ■ i "Taken' j (says i&e ; : : Ward's... .Ministry,reorganised, ■ jg any, a? strong—as" at-was before thoi defeat of Mr. M'Nab and' the retirement of Mr. Hall-Jones. ■Still, wo admit, that tho in view of all the difficulties of .the position, ; has; acted -'-with • .caution} . and ;the "future . of the Ministry •' reyt " with tho members. Perhaps :frpm some of' tho present':unlikely [surroundings terial, from a Ministerial point, of:'view,.may be evolved. In this cohnection'the Cabinet, history of- the- late -Mr.-' Seddon '"and..'of ; theHon. Hall-Jones must always . prove highly 1 encouraging." - - "characteristic Dlplomaoy." ' 1 -Tho "Pahiatua Herald" seos "charaoteris-1 tic diplomacy" in the assumption ■; of the Lands portfolio by the Premier. "In view of the number of aspirants to the position, and the - strenuous manner in which ' their ! claims were advppated .in: various journals, tho Premier is tp be commended for his decision, and has saved much' heart-burning l ohthe part;of; disappointed aspirants. ; At one time Sir Joseph Ward was a strong ad-r vocate of the freenold, and probably he bas - net" personally turned his back on first principles—at least we hope for his own peace of mind .that he has not done so." . ■ j ;"A Ministry of Mediooritios." The ''Feilding Star", says Joseph's' first Cabinet was called a Ministry of the Talents and of Strong Men; his second can only bo iiaUod a: Ministry of Mediocrities. There is hew blood in plenty, but of what quality?- The only new Minister concerning whom there will be _unqna)ified praise is Mr. Ngata; and the criticism passed upon his appointment will summed up in the question, Does the.Maori race need two representatives in the Ministry ? Mr. Ngata is worth a place in the Executive, but Mr. Carroll is not. It wpuld have been wiser) had it been possible, to send the member for Gisborne into retirement into the Region Whcro it is Always' Aftornoon, rathpr than.sending Mr. M'Gowan* there." 1 - r."Dissatisfied," In the opinion of tho "Rangitikei Advocate," there are few who will be satisfied with Sir Joseph Ward's latest attempt at Cabmot making:"One of the chief, objections to the new arrangement is tbat tho. Lands and Agricultural Departments are placed under the control of qno who no doubt knows p,ll about telegraphy and tlie pianufacturo of surpluses, but who has no knowledge whatever;of the requirements of 'the man on the land.' Doubtless Sir Josoph feared to .give these Departments to others whos'e names havo been mentioned, and got out qf the' difficulty by taking them himself. Mr. Hogg also is certainly out of place as Minister for Labour,, because of his Spcialistio tendencies." . .. .

. - The Mjniatry Strengthened. i -■ The "Wanganui Chronicle" says"Tho Prime Minister is'to be complimented upon the wisdom he has displayed in connection with the reconstruction of his Cabinet. Sir Joseph Ward has certainly not hurried over the task'.; He has chosen to 'take his time over the job, in order that it might be done as well r.s possible, and it must be admitted that on the whole lie has done very- wejl deed with the material he had st his command/ The Ministry as-now coiistiiiited' is undoubtedly stronger than.it has been for some years past." . . . ■ "Swing of the Pendulum." The! Napier "Telegraph" regards the new Ministry as -the least Radical that lias been in. power for the last seventeen years.'.: "If the trades unionists of the Dominion viewed ; with misgiving tho reconstruction of the last Cabinot, after the death of Mr; Seddon, they arc not likely to find much reason for self-congratulation personnel of the present one. If.it indicates anything at all, bojrond diplomatic concession to individual claims, it is that another stage has been reached "in the backward swing of the pendulum from an overmastering policy . of. aggressive' Labour legislation. . This will be. ■ satisfactory to a largo section of the peoplo of New Zealand. It will not, however, be acceptable to the workers, who furnish the largest proportion of the popular vote. The trades unionists have lost twp staunch friends in tho Hons. W. Hall-Jones and J. M'Gowan. Wo look in vain for two equally .staunch supporters of their cause amongst the new Ministers;''. . ■ '