MR. FORBES'S TASK

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 122, 26 May 1930, Page 10

MR. FORBES'S TASK

CHOOSING A CABINET

NO ANNOUNCEMENT YET

The Prime Minister-designate, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, returned to Wellington this morning after visiting th*e Governor-General at Auckland and undertaking to form a Ministry. Mr. Forbes also conferred with the retiring Prime Minister, the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, at Rotorua yesterday in regard to the appointment of his Cabinet.

A special message telegraphed to the "Post" to-day from Auckland states that in an interview before leaving Auckland on Saturday for Rotorua Mr. Forbes said he had given an undertaking to His Excellency the GovernorGeneral to form a Ministry. It had been agreed that he should wait on His Excellency at Government House, Wellington, on Wednesday morning for the purpose of submitting the names of his proposed Ministers. Later he and his colleagues would attend at Government 'House and take their oaths of office. Mr. Forbes said that, according to precedent, Ministers were carrying on their duties as usual, although their resignations had been forwarded to the Governor-General with that of the Prime Minister. This state of affairs would continue until the new Ministry was sworn in. Mr. Forbes also mentioned that he would be the twenty-first man to hold the offico of Premier or Prime Minister of New Zealand. The two who' had held office longest, Mr. Seddon and Mr. Massey, had died in harness, as had Mr. Seddon's predecessor, Mr. John Ballance, but there woro still five exPrime Ministers living, Sir Sober t Stout, Sir Joseph Ward, Sir, William Hall-Jones, Sir Francis Bell, and the Eight Hon. J. Gf. Coates. THE ROTORUA VISIT. A Press Association message from Jtotorua states that Mr. Forbes arrived- there on Saturday evening, visited Sir Joseph Ward, and was shown over the Winter Show. On Sunday he visited the Ngakuru pumice land development settlement at Atiamuri road, and weut into agricultural matters with Departmental officers. After a full day he left at 7.30 p.m. by car for Frankton. FRAMING HIS MINISTRY. Approached after his return to Wellington this morning, Mr. Forbes said he had no announcement to make concorning the personnel of the new Cabinet. It is understood that he is deliberating over the allocation of portfolios, and that he has not yet worked out all the details of the construction of his Ministry. There is a widespread belief that the present Ministry will not be materially altered in personnel by Mr. Forbes, but that he will seek to bring it more up to strength by making a new appointment—possibly two—filling tho vacancies caused by the resignation of Sir Joseph Ward and the Hon. T. M. Wilford. Mr. A. J. 3'lurdoch, Ciiief Government Whip, is regarded as more or less a certainty for a new portfolio by virtue of his lengthy and faithful service to the party, as well as his official position in.the House, which is usually a stepping stone to higher office. If a second new Minister is created, Mr. S. G. Smith, the Chairman of Committees, is expected to receive the favour of his Chief. ; KINDRED PORTFOLIOS. There is ground for believing that Mr. Forbes will take advantage of the present opportunity to bring together in. the now Cabinet portfolios of a kindred nature. For instance, it is suggested that in view of the common problems confronting railway and transport administration and legislation it is proper that these two important portfolios should be placed in the hands of one Minister. Mr. Forbes has interested "himself so keenly in the administration of lands ( problems, particularly the settlement of undeveloped areas, that it would not be surprising if he retained that portfolio, assigning Agriculture to one of his colleagues. There is ample precedent for the association of the Finance and Lands portfolios in the hands of tho Prime Minister. Lands and Agriculture may be classified as offices which rightly should lie jointly controlled, and Mr. Forbes may hand them over together to one member of his new team. In the-.Coates Government and also in the Massey Cabinet they were kept separate. There is also some speculation as to the possibility of one Minister being given charge of the. Labour and Public Works Departments, which since unemployment became so pressing a problem Lave- been brought more closely into contact with one another. •

It is understood that the GovernorGeneral has re-arranged part of his programme in tho Waikato district in order to leave for Wellington to-mor-row evening in readiness to receive Mr. Forbes's recommended Cabinet on Wednesday and swear in the Ministry a little later. .