AUSTRALIAN CABINET

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 307, 22 September 1943, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN CABINET

Little Change From Old Ministry PORTFOLIO FOR MR. WARD (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright,) (Received September 21, 7 p.m.) CANBERRA, September 21. . With the exception of the allocation of the portfolios of Transport and External territories to Mr. E. J. W aid, tne former Minister of Labour there are few, changes in the new Federal Cabinet,, which was sworn in today by the Go'’;; "General. Mr. Ward is succeeded as Minister ot Labour by Ml. E. J- Hollo way the former Minister for Health and Ministers with the exception of the Minister ot Transport, Mr Lawson, were re-elected in the Labour caucus ballot for the new Ministry which preceded Mr. Curtin’s alloca“S elected Prime Minister and Mr. F. M. Forde, Deputy Prime Minister, both unanimously. Mr Ward who was suspended by Mr. Curtin shortly before the old Parliamen dissolved because of Ins charges’about < missing document connected wflh the Brisbane Line, was elected on the first count but lie will not assume the htiuis terial position till Parliament had an opportunity of considering the, findings ot the Royal Commission which inquired into his charges and found them unnewcomer, Mr. Calwell, is one. of n -most powerful men in the Y ictonan H. to l‘Wy a consistent critic of Mi. Curtin, par ticularly over the extension of the area in which the military can serve. “Unhelpful” Elements. A lack of new mater al and the continued presence in his term of elenients which proved unhelpful m the L.st P. liaineut are believed to have complicated Mr Curtin’s reconstruction of Jc Can., net’, says the “Sydney Morning HeriUd political correspondent. I olitwA ported 8 by Curtin would have changed the course of the caucus election, mt no Curtin ticket was forthcoming, and no other ticket, according to Caucus members who have no factional a liances, in evidence. The doctrine ot collective Cabinet responsibility, the correspom dpnt savs, is in. worse danger than eyei, the Caucus barfing re-elected specific ministers who, in the last Parliament, Wnatelr h the n lisW eouservatism of the Labour Party now becomes a national “four” ami the’ Messrs. Curtin, Beasley. Evatt and Chifley will.do the job and Mr Curtin will have to resliuttio tn portfolios and bring in men whom the Caucus has ignored. ... Present Cabinet. The other portfolios are as follows. Prime Minister and Defenceb Mr. L Curtin; Army, Mr. F. M. Forde, Li * u?er and Post-war Reconstruction Mi. I B Cl iflev; Attorney-General and Lx tonal Airaira, Dr. H. V Evatt; Supply and Shipping, Mr. U T r ade and Munitions, Mr. A? 1 V Keine’ and Customs Senator K. A Kea . Air and Civil Aviation. Mr. A. 8. Drake ford ; Commerce and Agriculture, Mik M - I Scullv • Postmaster-General and A ice President of the Executive Council. Senator W P. Ashley; War Organization and Research. Mr. .1. J. Dedman; Interfoj Senator J. S Collings; I ealthand Social Services, Senator .t. M. Fiasei, Repatriation and AAar Semee Home..’ Air C AA r . Frost; Home Securit), Mr. H' P Lazzarini; Aircraft Production, Senator G. Cameron; Information, Sir. A A. Calwell. , ... The members of the War Cabinet wilt be Messrs. Curtin, Forde, Chifley, Beasley, Makin anil Drakeford and Dr. Lvatt. The appointment ot Mr. Calwell to the Department of Information has caused some surprise, because he nasi leuued” with newspapers for years. Opposition Leadership. The Cabinet will hold its first meeting tomorrow to deal with the Budget, xvhicn is to be introduced next week. Tomorrow the depleted Opposition parties will discuss their leadership and whether th United Australia Party and Country Party should continue to work jomtij in Parliament, Mr. AA. M. Hughes leadership of the U.A.P. is expected to provide a lively debate, with the followers of Mr, Menzies demanding a change. Mr. Fadden is expected to be challenged for the leadership at the Country’ 1 ai<. meeting, and Sir Earle Page and Mess’sMcEwen and Abbott are being suggested as his possible successors. Aiany political observers believe Mr. Menzies will become the Leaderjif_tlw£j>l>ositioa.