CABINET CHANGES

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 19 January 1926, Page 7

CABINET CHANGES

PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT A NEW DEPARTMENT CREATED MORE ALTERATIONS PENDING CAREERS OF THE NEW MEMBERS

(BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 18. In connection with the new appointments to the Ministry;, the Prime Minister (the itight Hon. '.T. G. Coates) has issued the following statement: — •*lf will be remembered that the vacancy in the Cabinet caused by the death of the lave Prime Minister (the Eight Hon. W. F. Massey) has not been filled. A further vacancy has been caused by the retirement through illhealth of the Hon. Sir R. H. Rhodes, who held the portfolio of Defence and Conkuiissioner of State Forests, and who did -not seek re-election to the present Parliament. < • I have on several occasions publicly intimated that early in the New Year I would take steps' to reconstruct the Cabinet," but before making any reference to the new appointments I would like to express my keen sense of the valuable services rendered by Sir Ilea toil Rhodes extending over a long period of years, and of the great loss that we and tin' country have sustained by his retirement. Throughout, his long Parliamentary career, and more particularly as a Minister of the Crown, he has been imbued with a high sense ot public duty, and has at all times carried out the duties of his Ministerial positions with credit, strict integrity and befitting dignity. L part with great regret front a colleague with whom I have been so intimately associated since 15)19, and who was also a member of Mr. Massey’s first Ministry in 19.12. “it is well-knjwn that the Right Hon. Sir Francis Bell has expressed his intention of retiring from Ministerial life, and his resignation of his office as Attorney-General will take effect at once, but he will retain the portfolio of External Affairs until his departure for Europe in March next, when he will leave to act as New Zealand’s representative at the assembly of the League of Nations at Geneva. “This, perhaps, is not the proper occasion to refer at length to the conspicuous record of public service Sir Francis Bell has rendered to the Dominion, but I can say that the high position occupied by him for so manv vears in the Government will indeed be hard to fill. It is satisfactory to. be able to state that he will retain his seat in the Executive Council, and that the Government and New Zealand will still be able to have the benefit of lr.~" experienced counsel. “Although the country is not to lose Sir Francis Bell’s services immediately, vet the date of his departure is dra r- . ing near. 1 wish to announce, I here- . fore, that the Hon. W. Do wide Stewart will now succeed to the AttorneyGeneralship. The new appointments to the Ministry are as follows: — Mr O. .T. Hawken, M.P. for Egmont--To be Minister for Agriculture. Mr, F. J. Rolleston. M.P for Timaru —To be Minister for Justice and Minister for Defence Mr. J. A. Young, M.P. for Hamilton —To be Minister for Health. These are the only new appointments which His Excellency has been advised immediately to make, but further Ministerial changes will be recommended in the near future in order to bring the Ministry up to full strength. ‘ ‘ May I say that where there are so many members possessing undoubted qualifications for Ministerial office, J have found the task of selection difficult, but it has been made with an effort to command the approbation an 1 confidence of Parliament and the country. “A further readjustment will include Finance being placed under the Hon. W. Downie Stewart in accordance with the intimation made last year. The present Minister for Finance (Hon. W. Nosworthy) will continue to administer the Treasury until the end of the current financial year. “I should like also to say that, although the Hon. Sir Maui Pomare is relinquishing the portfolio of Health, which he has successfully administered, lie will continue to represent the native race in the Executive Council and retain the administration of the Cook and other islands. “I am of opinion that the Prime Minister should not be burdened with a mass of administrative detail connected with State departments, but should rather be available to render his Ministers assistance in discussing and dcVciding suitable organisation and staff ro give proper effect to policy decisions. J take this opportunity to announce that, whilst I am retaining Public Works for the present, a change in the Ministerial control of this department is contemplated shortly. I hope to be in a position to advise further appointments early in the year. “Since assuming the leadership of Iho Government last year, I have become increasingly impressed with llie manifold activities and almost unlimited scope of work attaching to th.' office of Prime Minister, involving, as they do, very heavy demands on time and attention. In our democratic con inanity the Prime Minister is called upon, perforce, to attend to a large amount of detail work, which leaves him but little time to devote mature consideration to many important matters in the wider field of policy. “The Prime Minister, in my opinion, should be relieved of much of this attention to detail in order that a great deal more of his time may be usefully employed in the general interests of the Dominion. Moreover, the develop ment of closer inter-imperial relations, which may be said to have had their birth in the Imperial War Cabinets and conferences nine or ten years ago, is now increasing to such an extent that, in the opinion of the Government, the time lias arrived when special provision should be made to deal with this highly important branch of our work. “I am strongly of opinion that all such matters should come under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister, especially in view of the fact that ho Li* the official representative of the Do I minion at all Imperial Conferences, ami in this capacity is the person who is invested with the requisite authority to speak on behalf of the Government and the country in the councils of Empire.

“It is only right to say that thi staff of the Prime Minister’s office, with its limited personnel, has in the past efficiently carried" on the treniendou volume of work, but I am convinc'd that tin- dee.anils have now become too heavy to enable adequate consideration being given to many important quo--tious which arise in the course of a 1 ministration.

Therefore, with a view to more effective organisation, I have decided to create a Prime Minister’s Department under a permanent departmental head, and also to appoint i.) the staff of the new department a special officer, whose duty will be chiefly confined to Imperial and external affairs arising in the course of the continuous process of communication and consultation wh ch is now in force as between H.s Majesty’s Government and the Dominions. By this means a more complete system of co-ordination will be brought into practice in connection with our Imperial work. The additional expenditure involve.! in the creation of this department need not he large, but it will be amply justified by increased efficiency and organisation. Mr. F. D. Thomson, 0.M.G., who Inis' for many years held the po.->.-tiim of chief private scerctarv to the Prime Minister, will be appointed permanent. head of (lit' new department. The special officer to be appointed to the External Affairs branch of the department will be announced in due course.

“In announcing the creation of this department I would like, in conclusion, to add a few words of a personal nature bearing upon the change. I do nit wish the public to infer that I desire to isolate myself in any way or to ren dor myself inaccessible to members of the community who are desirous of seeing me. Oil the contrary, I shall continue to welcome such visits and to have the opportunity of mutual dLcussion of matters connected with rhe administration of the public affairs of our countrv-.

“What L do hope to achieve by setting up such an organisation is <■ greater measure of efficiency in dealing with official matters, and more time to devote personally to promoting the well-being of all sections of our people. In saying this it must not be understood that tlie Prime Minister is tlie only responsible member of the Government, but experience has proved that very ofren there is a tendency on the part of persons to go over the heads of Ministers of the Crown in bringing various matters to the attention of the Crime Minister, resulting frequently in duplicating and unnecessary delay in dealing with them.” A meeting of the Executive Council was held at Parliament Buildings at J o’clock this afternoon, His Excellency the Governor-General (Sir Charles Fo‘gusson) presiding. The new Ministers, as announced, were then sworn in. Insofar as the present Ministers are not affected by tin* changes indicated above, the existing members of Cabinet retain their offices.

THE CHANGES DISCUSSED. THL FIRST INSTALMENT. NEW IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT. (By Telegraph. —Special to the Star.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 19. The changes announced by the Prime Minister constitute an instalment, the final portion of yvhich may be expected at the end of March yvlien the financial year is over and tlie Finance portfo’u goes to the Hon. Air. uownie Stewart. It is anticipated that at least one more Minister will then be appointed. Sir M. Pomare. yvho loses the Public Health portfolio, retains the Department of Cook Islands, yvhich is not a portfolio under tlie terms of the Civil List Act. However, as the Minister representing the Natiy r e race on the Executive, Le will receive a salary of £llOO in comparison yvith £I3OO paid to all Ministers holding portfolios except the Prime Afinister, yvho receives £2OOO. AIORE MINISTERIAL RESPONSIBILITY. The last paragraph in the Prime Minister’s statement is highly significant of changed plans. There is to be more definite responsibility taken by individual Alinisters than has been tlie case in the past. A system has developed of approaching the Prime Minister on every important question, and the result lias been that in addition to l lie M inister directly concerned' the head of the Government has had his time taken up listening to requests which primarily concern only one member of his Cabinet. The late Mr. A 1 assay was forced to protect himself from deputation invasions during tie: session by concentrating them on Thursdays, yvlien ho received a constant, stream, which started at 9 a.m. and went mi into the lunch hour, and often i-outi n ued during slack intervals of Parliamentary work while the House was silling. Mr. Coates is asking the public to place greater reliance on the responsible Minister, though not cat ting himself mil from access where it is justified.

THL I* iil ML MINISTER ’8 DLI’A I’T.M LNT. The creation of a new department for dealing with external affairs as distinct from island matters is now covered by a separate department. It is an important innovation which means the beginning of a system of closer attention to imperial matters by the Prime Minister. The lessening of detail work yvhich Mr. Coates aims at by placing more responsibility on his colleagues will give more time for consideration of genera] policy and that of Imperial questions". After 1 he war Cabinet had been constituted, there grew up a system of consultation liv tlie Imperial Government with the Dominions yvhich has turned out to he more than a formality. Communica-

lions pass almost daily, and there has been increasing work owing to the extended activities of tlie League of Nations. The Australian Commonwealth realised the need for such a department. and appointed a laison officer attached to the Australian House, London, to deal with External Affairs. Canada has its External Affairs Department fully organised. The Prime Minister’s principal secretary, Mr. F. D. Thomson, as head of the new department. will not give up his present positions of secretary to the Cabinet and clerk of the Executive Council Mr. Thomson will hold these positions and act as a laison officer between Cabinet and the departments of .State. THE COMPLETE CABINET. The changes announced to-dav, without anticipating those to follow by the end of March, leave Cabinet constituted as follows: — J. G. Coates, Prime Minister, Minister for Railwavs, Native Affairs, Minister in Charge of the Electoral Department. Sir Francis 8011, Minister for External Affairs. D. H. Guthrie, member of the Executive without portfolio. Mr. Downie Stewart, AttorneyGeneral. Minister for Customs, Industries and Commerce, Minister in Charge of the Board of Trade. W. Nosworthy, Minister for Finance and associated departments, Minister for Immigration, Tourist and Health Resorts. Sir James Parr, Minister for Education, Postmaster-Gcneial, Minister n Charge of the Police and Prisons. G. J. Anderson, Minister for Labour, Minister for Mines, Marine, Pensions and subsidiary departments. A. D. McLeod, Minister for Lands, Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement a ml' Scene r y Preservation. R. F. Bollard, Minister for Internal Affairs and subsidiary departments. O. Hawken, Minister for Agriculture and Commissioner of State Forests. ' F. J. Rolleston, Minister for Jus tic"* and Defence. J. A. Young, Minister for Public Health and Hospitals. Sir M. Pomare. Minister for Cook Islands, member of the Executive Council representing the Native race.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. PRIME MINISTER LOOKING FOR SUCCESSOR. (Bv Telegraph. —Special to the Star.) WELLINGON, Jan. 19. The Prime Minister has announced his intention of shortly giving up the Public Works portfolio, though he will retain that of the Railways, as there are many important policy changes in connection with this department which he would naturally desire to see to a successful isiftic. Ultimately Mr. Coates yvill doubtless relinquish tins task also. Meanwhile he is looking for his successor as Minister for Public Works. It is almost a foregone conclusion that the Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister for Lauds, yvill eventually become, in addition. Minister for Public Works. THE CHOSEN THREE. BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES HON. O. J. HAWKEN.

Tlu- Hon. O -J. Hawken was horn at Kakaramea, Taranaki, in 1870. His people yvere among the first settlers in the New Plymouth district and at one time tiiev farmed the old mission station between New Plymouth and the breakwater. Air. Hawken, senr., yvas a Maori War veteran. AH. O. J. Hawken was educated at the Ivakaramea public school and later at the Pat.ea school. He commenced farming on his own account at the age of 20, and he has been engaged in farming at different places ever since. Air. Hawken ha.t had a wide experience in public life, and prior to his return to Parliament as member for Egmont he yvas close’y associated yvith many local bodies. For nine years lie did good work as a member of the Patea County Council, and he was on tlie Board of Agriculture for some years. He yvas also on. the "Wool Committee for New Zealand arranging . sales and working in yvith the B.A.W.R.A. in Australia. He yvas also on the Egmont Agricultural Association for a number of years, being president for two years, and he is at present on the executive of the Royal Agricultural Society. Air. Hawken yvas returned, as member for the Egmont electorate in 1919 and aagin in 1922 and last year. During his six years in Parliament he has filled several important positions, being chairman of the Dairy Industry Committee to inquire into the Control Act; chairman of the Auditor-General’-Report Committee, and he yvas one of the private members who formulated the Meat Control Act for tlie GovernHON. F. J. ROLLESTON. The Hon. F. J. Rolleston is the second son of the late Hon. W. Rolleston, who yvas the last Superintendent of Canterbury in the provincial days and subsequently served for many years in Parliament,’ winniug great distinction as a Minister. The present Minister was born in 1573 and was educated at Christ’s College and Canterbury College, gaining his B.A. degree in 1895 and his LL.B. in 1897. At Christ s College lie yvas sports champion in 1891, and lie yvon his colours at football and cricket. Admitted as a barrister and solicitor, Mr. Rolleston practised in Wellington until 1900, then going into partnership yvith Mr. C. Howard Tripp at Timaru. The Reform Party in Timaru prevailed upon him to contest the seat of Sir William Hall-Jones in 1905, but he yvas unsuccessful, eighteen months later lie yvas elected to the Timaru Harbour Board, and hold his seat until 1923, being chairman continuously from 1912. During his term of office important improvements yvere made in the harbour works, and the hoard's administration was very successful. In 1921 Mr. Rolleston yvas elected Alayor of Timaru, holding office for two years, and he yvas president of the South Canterbury War Relief Society from 1919 till 1923. The retirement of the Hon. Janies Craigie in 1922 gave Mr. Rolleston his oppo"tunity and he was elected to Parliament as an Independent Reform m<'i!!ber. His force of character yvas quickly recognised in the House, the general opinion being that he yvould obtain early promotion. Hi' was reelected last November. HON. J. A. YOUNG. The Hon. J. A. Young, who was born at Auckland in 1875 and educated ar

the Wellesley Street school, qualified as a dentist in 18915, and subsequently established himself at Hamilton. He soon bewail to interest himself in local affairs, and for many years past he hao been a prominent figure in the public life of Hamilton. For ten years lie was a member of the Borough Council, serving three terms as Mayor. He has brn'ii a member of the High School Board of Governors, chairman of the Hospital Board for seven years, and for fourteen years a member of tin' Waikato Licensing Committee. He first turned his attention to general polities in 190 S, contesting Tauranga as an Independent against Sir William Hcrries. At the following election he stood ,ov Waikato as an Independent Reform ", and was successful, and he has been in Parliament ever since, becoming Hamilton’s representative when a redistribution of seats gave both Hamilton and Waikato representation. As chairman of tin' Native Affairs Committee for twelve years Mr. Young has done good work, and in the last Parliamen’; he was successful as Chairman of Committees.