Oroua and Kiwitea Counties’ Gazette TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 29, 1925 RECONSTRUCTING THE CABINET

Feilding Star, Volume 3, Issue 552, 29 December 1925, Page 4

Oroua and Kiwitea Counties’ Gazette TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 29, 1925 RECONSTRUCTING THE CABINET

Those who are usually well informed in political matters in.the Capital City are more and more inclined to hack up our own tip of last week that the Premier has already reconstructed his -Cabinet, although; as is the way of Ministry makers, lie shakes his head when asked whether he has chosen his csilleagues. There are two convictions in circulation—that Mr Nosworthy will no longer he a‘member of the Coates Cabinet when the final numbers go up and that Mr d'ownie Stewart has accepted the onerous position of Minister of Finance. This is a sure sign that his health. is steadily improving. liesides Mr Nosworthy, there is also a feeling abroad that Mr Bollard will also hand in his resignation. lint what are these anticipations based upon? It is not an easy thing to drop Ministers who have been some time in the Cabinet, and we do not think that either Mr Nosworthy or Mr Hoi la rd would like the idea <T going on the hack benches after tasting the sweets of office. Another report forecasting the Premier’s acts in reconstructing the political position on the personal side is that he intends to emulate William lloheny/illorn by dropping the pilot, said pilot, being the Speaker of the House, Mr Statham. Such an act would be most unusual. Mr Statham gave every satisfaction as Speaker utiring the course of the last . Parliam m:, ami lie was complimented at the end o! 1 1 10 session by Mr Coa to.. if lie is not nominated for the position again for the new Parliament by the Coates Cabinet, Mr Statham will lose the knighthood that automatically comes to the Speaker who reaches the .second term of office. Mr Statliam was originally a Reformer. Then lie became a critic of his party, and again has been returned as an Jndopendent. Put once a Reformer, always a Reformer; so why should lie lie deprived of the Speakership ?. Because, reply the forecasters, there are others in the. party who are more deserving of preferment than is Mr Statham. In this connection, an ex-resident ol F’eilding and elistrict, Mr Frank Hockl.v, formerly Chairman of the Kiwitea County Council, is being named as one of the probables for the Speakership.. Mr Young, however, has precedence, because of his greater experience. Mr tfoekly will then most likely succeed Mr Young as Chairman of Committees, which is a stepping stone to the Speaker’s chair. In the latest selections for the list of probable Cabinet Ministers the name of dir Ken. Williams tops them all, and it ..is -'suggested that he will become Minister of Native Affairs, despite the special request of the djhoris that- Mr Coates himself' should continue to be their Minister. Rut. what about the-finest Native Minister of them all—Mr

Ngatn P It goes without saving that 11 r Coates will have to unload some of lii.s .portfolios, and there is more than a suspicion that he will hand over Railways to Mr James Nash. Mr if. F. Holiest on, M.P. for Timaru, one of the ablest and most unobtrusive members of the party, is almost a! certainty for promotion 'to Cabinet; and if that eventuates, lie may have the onerous post of Minister of Public * Works, although he is scarcely familiar enough with the North Island to adequately deal with that very important portfolio.' Still that is a fault easily remedied, and the Timann.vian certainly is adaptable, with executive ability. There is still much speculation as to who .will be the next Attorney-General, in succession to Sir Francis Bell, who is going to London*. it would he an •easy task to pick Sir James tParr fori such a promotion, The Attorney-Gen-eral being a-coveted portfolio by legal men. Against that selection, how-; ever, is the reiterated statement that Sir James is going to London, as successor to Sir James Allen in the post of High Commissioner. let it is known to his intimates that Sir James is not prepnrde to go to London unconditionally. He rightly, holds that the .British Cabinet and the Dominions have not sufficiently elevated the office of High Commissioner. The latter really ha's no diplimatic standing at Home. Any tinpot. State’s diplomat takes precedence over Britain’s own delegates from overseas at iuternationab or Imperial functions in London. That is'-not as it should be. John Bull should honour his own family first, and each member thereof should rank diplomatically above the representative of every foreign nation, whether it he a first or a third or a seventh class Power. No Commissioner from Britain Overseas should he relegated to a hack seat at -Britain’s State functions. Every High Commissioner has felt the indignity hitherto, and we trust -that Mr'Coates and Sir James Parr between them will see to it that in future John Bull gives his sons seals at the head of the table, instead of standing room only at the bade of Great Britain’s banqueting hall.