THE WARD MINISTRY.

Evening Star, Issue 12885, 7 August 1906, Page 4

THE WARD MINISTRY.

OPINIONS AS TO THE PERSONNEL THEREOF BY LOCAL POLmCIANS. Our reporters have procured tlie following opinions, which will no doubt be of interest: Hon. W. M. Bolt; So far as my judgment goes, I do not think that a better selection could have been made from the present House. It appears to me that one of the distinguishing features about the present Ministry is their absolute integrity and conscientiousness, and I have no doubt that the affairs of the colony will be honestly and conscientiously administered by every one of them. So far as their ability is concerned, I think that the three new members are a distinct advantage to the country. Ido not expect that they willjbe per-, haps quite so progressive on certain lines of action, particularly the Land Question, as some of us would desire, but no doubt they will do their utmost in the interests of the whole of the people in that regard consistently with public opinion on that question—l mean that stage that public opinion has arrived at.

Mr J. F. Arnold, M.H.R., expressed the opinion that Sir Joseph Ward is to be congratulated on his foresight and tact in selecting his colleagues. For some time past, he said, he had been urging the advisability of reconstructing the old Ministry. During last election he went so far as to say that if_ the late Mr Seddon did nob reconstruct, his (Mr Arnold’s) constituency must give him a free hand to take what course he thought wise. Sir Joseph Ward, however, had shown that he has the strength of character to overcome any feeling that ( may have existed with regard to the geographical position which it is supposed Ministers should represent, and also any wire-pulling that existed. Mr Arnold had no doubt that the wire-pulling was considerable. Auckland was entitled to another representative, Mr Arnold considers, and the Hon. Mr Fowlds is the strongest man that could have been taken from there. As a combined team the new Ministry are- as strong from any point of view as it was possible for the Premier to have chosen, and their life is certainly assured during the existence of the present Parliament.

“ One or two improvements might perhaps have been made,” continues Mr Arnold. “ I expected that the Hon. Air Fowlds would have taken the Department of Customs, and I am strongly of opinion that' the Hon. Mr M'Nab should have had Defence, as that department must be represented in the Lower House. It has been suggested that the Ministry will not be so progressive as that of Air Seddon. I do not think that will be the case. Sir Joseph knows the temper of the country as well as any man, and will be prepared to keep abreast of public opinion. The Land Question will agitate the minds of public men until the full policy of the Government is revealed. As Mr Afassey says, we are nob so familiar as we might be witli Air Al'Nab’s personal views on the subject. My own opinion is that the Ministry will try to work on the lines of the present land tenure system. I doubt, however, whether Government or Opposition will he prepared to permit the lease-in-perpetuity system to remain. Several of the newspapers and some politicians have said that the Labor party will be quite satisfied with the new Ministry. I fancy that is premature. It will be better to wait and see what the policy of the Government is likely to be. lam delighted that my old colleague (Air Millar) has been advanced to Ins present position. He and I have worked together for some years, representing the same views and the same conrtituency, and there are, perhaps, few better able to speak as to his qualifications than I. He is a man of ability, considerable-tact, and abundant energy, and, what is more, a thorough gentleman in all business matters As ATinister for Alanine he will be dealing with a subject that he has absolutely mastered, and be has the sympathy and confidence of both the seamen and the shippin" companies. There is no doubt, too, that he is the only man in the present Cabinet who could oecuny the position of Alinister of Labor with satisfaction. I believe that the Hori; Air Hall-Jones will make an excellent Minister of Railwavs. H’s training as Minister of Public Works, and the fact that he is a tradesman and a practical man, fit him for his task. The Hon. Mr Fowlds will make a good Minister of Education, his sympathies being especially witli primary education and the requirements of the masses. In a word, I consider them a strong team indeed, and one waits with interest to know their policy. If it is acceptable to the country, there is no reason why they should not remain in ofiice for a very considerable time.”

Mr Barclay, M.H.R., and Mr T. Macke n?:ie, M.R.R., are out of town. •i r T; ? ldcv - member for Caversham, said : My opinion is that the new Ministry is about as strong a combination as could be pot together from the Government side of the House It will, speaking generally command the.respect and confidence of the party, and whatever may be said as to future possibilities, it will, at any rat° enter upon its career with the loyalty of the whole party. The new Premier" has unquestionably selected his new Ministers from the ablest of his supporters. The debating strength of the Cabinet has been mnikedly increased. Every one ,>f the new Ministers will have effective control cv tr nis. own department, and every one mav he relied upon to give a good account of his administration, and to defend his department or the Government in i.I, M Itrus» rr on the platform. Mr M'Nab and myself have been on very intimate terms mnee the time when we were at college together many years ago. He will make an <\ccilc,l; admznistrator. There is not a mere methodical, painstaking, anof assiduous worker in the House. He way be Kafrlv trusted to acquire a thorough and intimate knowledge of his department, and I shall not be surprised to find his name vet associated with many reforms in the Department of Lands and Agriculture. Mrl’.Jwlds is a man of sterling qualities and uceeptional ability/ The Department of I'ducafcion could not have been placed in more capable hands. He has been a prominent member of the Education Committee of the House, and is in touch with modern ideas on educational questions. Mr Millar will bring good sense and tact to bear upon the administration of a department a here these qualities are most required. His ’nclusion will go a long way to secure that the progressive policy which has ebaractenesd the party in the past will not be departed from. .This will undoubtedly be recognised bv the CaMuet as a whole, as it is only by the continuity of such a pokey that the new Ministry can hope to secure a continuance of the united support of the present party.

Mr James Allen, member for Bruce: T think that Sir J. G. Ward has made the strongest selection he could make out of the material available, hut, as I heard the Ministry described this morning—and, as it seemed to me, appropriately—they are a job lot, in this sense: that from what we know of them, some are Single Taxers, some Freeholders, and some Leaseholders! I think that a strong man ,whom they have omitted to lake in is Mr Hogg. He is a man with very clear ideas upon land questions and educational questions, and, I should say, a strong man. T think that the Horn Mr Fowlds is a very earnest man —one with queer opinions, but no doubt he will do his best for education. The Hon. Mr Millar is undoubtedly , a strong man-one of the strongest on that side—and if he only works he should make an extremely good Minister. He is cautiouscautious in words, at any rate—and if to that he now adds caution in deeds he will strengthen the Cabinet on the financial side. The _ Hon. Mr M'Nab is an educated man, and if he lives up to his educational training now that he has responsibility, he ought to develop into a good Minister/ But I agree with Mr Massev that we do not yet know what- his. opinions are on any question scarcely. WHAT THE LABOR PARTY SAY.

Mr W. Hood, one of our trusted Labor leaders, replied to our reporter thus': We have known Sir Joseph Ward and watched him closely during the whole of his career, but as a politician we have never been able to test him. We know him commercial man, and have seen all his energies concentrated in that direction, and all must admit that as a commercfal man he has been a success.. But as a politician

we shall require to test him. That test will be by his policy and' how he proposes to give effect to it. As a party we nave no reason to he hostile to Sit Joseph Ward, nor even supicious, hut we don’t know him as we knew Mr Seddon with his great humanitarian sentiment. How could we ? Sir Joseph has, always stood in Mr Seddon’s shadow so far. 'There is one burning question with us at present—the land—and his policy on the question will, I think, either make him or break him as Premier. We realise this: that as a politician and Premier of the colony, If hd is, able to grasp the situation and is in a position to deal with the Land Question in the interests of the majority of the people, then his success is assured. If, on the other hand, he shuffles or shows weakness in that direction, his failure will be very soon. We think that the Land Question will be the test of the Ward Cabinet. _ That will be the first question to try Sir Joseph as Premier. Any party that is likely to hold power in New Zealand, and wishes the support of the Lahpr vote, must necessarily give out a policy on broad and progressive lines. -The tendency to create a separate Labor party shows the existence of that feeling. Regarding the constitution of the new Ministry, I do not see how anyone or any party can, in the present chaotic position of affairs, name a better combination, taken all round. We consider it a great improvement on the last Ministry—why, it would perhaps be difficult to specify; bul from what we have been able to gather, and from our opportunities 1 of observing from the outside, we have had reason to suppose that the two men who are displaced were weak, whereas-we know that the men now in their plaecs are thoroughly capable and strong enough to carry out a policy of progress if the Government launch such a policy. THE TEMPERANCE PARTY. Mr-A. S. Adams's opinion on the Ministry from the Temperance point of view was elicited. He said : “ As’ president of the New Zealand Alliance I think I may express satisfaction with the personnel of th© new Ministry. It is, of course, well known that the Hon. R. M‘Nab and the Hon. G. Fowlds are directly in sympathy with the No-licens© party, and during the last election th© Hon. J. A. Millar gave assurances of sympathy in the same direction. The other members of the Ministry, too, are not believed to be hostile. Speaking generally, I should say that the Ministry appears to be a strong one, perhaps as strong as could be got together on that side of the House. I think there is little doubt that the team will survive the present Parliament "ate least.” SPIRIT OF THE PRESS. [Special to the Stab.] CHRISTCHURCH, August 7. Both the Christchurch morning papers favorably criticise the new Cabinet. The ‘Lyttelton Times’ thinks that Sir J. G. Ward has called to the Cabinet the three members of the party who were marked out for office alike by their loyalty to principle, conspicuous ability, and influence in Parliament. He has gone frankly to the progressive section of the party for help, and lias silenced the suggestion that the new Ministry wilt" be more Conservative than th© last. It says: “We doubt if a stronger Cabinet could have been drawn from the present Parliament, having regard to experience and standing qs well as to ability, and we congratuFate Sir Joseph Ward unreservedly on the wisdom shown in his selection and on the courage and tact with which he handled a difficult situation.” The ‘Press’ having made up his mind that, the strong head of the Ministry having been taken away, the first essential was to strengthen its tail, undoubtedly has taken the best means at his disposal for this purpose bv droppmg Mr Duncan and Mr Mills and talcum in Mr Millar, Mr M‘Nab, and Mr Fowlds. Ihe new Ministers greatly add to the strength of the Cabinet’s donating power. As regards their administrative capacity, it. is as yet too early to speak, seeing that none of them have had anv experience of office. Mr Millar is a man of undoubted ability, but has the reputation of being wanting in industry and application. As Alinister of Customs, Minister of Labor, and Minister of Marino he will have quite sufficient occupation to test mm in this respect, and give him the opportunity of showing that, should he take advantage of it, the impression referred to does him an injustice. What is wanted even more than energy in the Department of Labor is the exercise of a certain amount of tact and the display of scrupulous impartiality, and it is in this department that Mr Millar has a golden opportunity of showing the stuff of which he is made. Mr M'Nab is painstaking and level-lieed, and wo shall bo surprised if ho does not effect substantial reforms in the Department of Agriculture, which for some time past has shown the want of a good administrative head.” Th© ‘Press’ expresses satisfaction that Sir Joseph Ward has ignored geographical considerations and selected the best men available. MINISTERS’ PRIVATE SECRETARIES. WELLINGTON, August 7. The new members of the Cabinet entered upon their duties this monuug. Their private secretaries will be as follows:—Hon. J. A. Millar, Mr F. D. Thomson, who was a? „ Seddon ’s Hon. G. Fowlds, i; Ir T V- Crew, private secretary to the Hon. G H. Mills until the latter’s retirement; Hon. R. M'Nab, Mr 0. Mewhinney, lately private secretary to the Hon. T. Y. Duncan. Mr J. W. Black (officer in charge of Look Islands affairs) will be attached to the staff of the Hon. J. M’Gowan. THE TEMPERANCE PEOPLE SATISFIED. NAPIER, August 7. At a. temperance meeting, at which the Rev. F. W. Ir-itt wae present, a resolution was carried expressing satisfaction at the constitution of the Cabinet. , The Temperance party would, it was thought, have no reason to fear that any legislation would be introduced by such a Cabinet interfering with the rights of the people to deal with the liquor traffic as they thought fit. POSTAL-TELEGRAPH CONGRATULATIONS. The local branch of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association telegraphed to Sir Joseph Ward congratulating him upon his attaining the Premiership, and expressing the greatest satisfaction of all officers at his retention of the portfolio of Post-master-General. MR MILLAR TO BE ENTERTAINED. It is proposed to hold a social in Dunedin before Parliament meets (August 21) in honor of the elevation to Cabinet rank of the Hon. J. A. Millar, member for Dunedin Central. Our Oamaru correspondent wires:—lt is generally agreed here that Sir J. G. Ward has formed a strong and acceptable Ministry, but many people express regret that Mr Duncan has not been retained as Minister of Lands.