NEW ADMINISTRATION

Grey River Argus, 7 October 1941, Page 5

NEW ADMINISTRATION

FOR COMMONWEALTH The Labour Party’s Cabinet [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.l CANBERRA, October 5. The Labour Party to-day will elect by ballot the Members of the new Ministry, and Mr J. Curtin, the Leader, will then allot the portfolios. The new Cabinet will be sworn in on Tuesday. (Rec. 12.55). CANBERRA. October 6. The new Commonwealth Labour Administration was announced by Mr J. Curtin co-night as follows: Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Co-ordination, Hon. J. Curtin. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Army—Hon. F. Forde. Federal Treasurer—Hon. M. Chiefley. Attorney-General and Minister oi External Affairs—Hon. Doctor Evatt. Minister of Supply—Hon. Mr Beasley. Minister of the Interior—Senator Collings. Minister foi' the Navy and for Munitions —Hon. Mr Makin. Minister of Social Services and Health—Hon. Mr Holoway. Minister of Customs and Vice-Pre-sident of the Executive Council— Senator Keene. i Minister for Air and Civil Aviation: —Hon. Mr. Drakeford. Minister of Commerce:—Hon. Mr. Scully. Postmaster-General and Minister for Information: —Senator Ashley. Minister of Labour and National Services: —Hon. Mr. Ward. Minister of Repatriation and War Services: —Hon. Mr. Homes-Frost. Minister of War Organisation and Industry:—Hon. Mr. Dedman. Minister of Home Security and As-sistant-Treasurer: —Hon. Mr. Lazzarini. Assistant-Minister of Commerce 1 — Senator Fraser. Minister of Aircraft Production and Minister of Munitions: —Senator Cameron Minister of Transport and Assistant Post-Master General; —Hon. Mr. Lawson. i The new War Cabinet comprises Messrs Curtin, Forde, Chifley. DrEvatt; Messrs Beasley, Makin and Drakeford. Mr Curtin said that the Labour Government would proceed immediately to recast the (Budget. Mr Curtin stated that the new Government would carry on with a maximum war effort, and would expect the co-operation as members of the War Advisory Council of the members of the former Ministry. He added that he was assured of the support of Mr A. W. Coles and Mr A. Wilson, 'the Independent members, whose votes defeated the Fadden Government. Mr Curtin said: “I am confident that the Labour Government will be a stable Government. It will devote itself, with singleness of purpose, to achieving the desire of the whole of the Australian people—a maximum war effort with distribution of the inevitable burdens of war as fairly as possible over the whole of the community.” I The Sydney “Daily Telegraph,” in a leading article, states: “Labour is in office, but is it in power? The big 1 question is, can Labour provide a I stable Government? Australia will >ive the Labour Party its chance, but lit does not want a continuance of |the present political set-up under a new label.” ■ With the support., of Mr Coles and Mr Wilson. Labour, after appointing a Speaker, will have a majority of one in the House. The Labour Government will have a voting strength of 37. The two other Parties, U.A.P. and U.I.C.P. will between them have 36. The Government will be in a minority of three in the Senate, there being 16 Labour Members, while between them the U.A.P. and U.C.I. Parties hold 19 seats.