FEDERAL MINISTERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 February 1920, Page 8

FEDERAL MINISTERS

*g»CABINET NOW MUCH WEAKER.

SYDNEY, Feb. 1. The Federal Cabinet was a pretty weak combination before the elections. Few acquainted with the per-

sonnel of the Cabinet as reconstructed will try to argue that it is any stronger. As a matter of fact, it is much weaker. Two Ministers who lacked capacity as administrators were defeat©:! at the elections —Mr. Webster, whose performances both as Postmaster, • general and poet had combined to make him very ridiculous; and Mr. Glynn, 1 the dreamy philosopher who

had charge of Home Affairs and Territories. Each department cried aloud tor the appointment of a strong, capable man as administrator Instead, two men were raised from the rank of honorary Ministers to the charge of the departments. Mi'. Wise becomes Postmastergeneral, lie is a very gentlemanly little man, of advanced age, with

fussy, nervous ways. Ho was known as the •'Rubber Stamp Minister," and -may be expected to lie a very amiable figure-head of purely negative qualities, who will be completely in the hands of officialdom. Mr. Webster, in many ways, was impossible;, but at least he had strength of character, purposefulness, and cap acity for independent thought.

The same may bq said of Home Affairs—that the new' appointment is, if possible, worse than the old. Mr. Poynton, who takes the portfolio, is well advanced,in years and lacks administrative capacity. He is personally popular—everyone in Parliament and out, knows him as "Alec'''

• —and he has, on occasion, displayed a commendable readiness to break away from officialdom. He is a very estimable gentleman, but is in no sense a statesman —and the aepartment over which he rules is in urgent need of a strong hand. Mr. Laird Smith., a well-tried party politician, who followed Mr. Hughes] on conscription, and was excommunicated by Labour; and General Ryrie, a returned soldier, of no particular qualifications, join 'this Cabinet, which may prove merely a stop-gap, as honorary Ministers.