THE NEW CABINET

Hawera Star, Volume L, 28 May 1930, Page 9

THE NEW CABINET

SHUFFLING OF PORTFOLIOS CO-ORDINATION OP INTERESTS NEW HOLDERS FOR PRINCIPAL OFFICES. (By Telegraph—Special to "The Star.’’) WELLINGTON, May 28. The inclusion of Messrs Smith and Murdoch in the new Cabinet was quite expected, but the drastic re-arrange-ment of Cabinet duties constitutes a strikingly interesting feature, to which the keynote is a co-ordination of interests. The Prime Minister has relinquished his Land and Agricultural portfolios and. takes a minimum of administrative duty. Finance, however, gives him Jin a I control of every activity. Ho also takes Customs, a. new departure for a, Prime Minister, though as one of the principal revenue agencies it is closely linked with, Finance and gives Mr Forbes complete- handling of all branches of taxation.

There is also a wider application, because Imperial preference lias „ become an important subject for discussion. There is a. trade agreement to be negotiated with Canada, aiid if Mr Forbes goes to the conference of Prime Ministers in September he will be the Minister directly in touch with these questions, which are. hound to lie raised. Scientific research is also a matter for Empire consideration, and in New Zealand itself there is a- need for further co-ordination of this activity. Mr Forbes has taken advantage-of this opportunity to constitute a full Cabinet and in so doing has relieved Sir Thomas Sidey, Leader of the Legislative Council, of administration of Police and Prisons, thins enabling these questions to be handled by the directly responsible Minister in the representative chamber.

Practically all the principal portfolios have new holders. Railways ways goes to Hon. W. A. Veitcli, an old" member of the railway service, who left the footplate to contest a seat for Parliament and has continued to show a great interest in railway problems. The former Minister of Railways (Hon. W. B. Taverner) brings business training to Public Works and takes the closely allied interest of Transport control.

Land settlement is so important a policy question with the Government that- it is not surprising that Hon. E. A. Ransom (deputy-leader) has taken this, duty from the Prime Minister, and as a- further grouping of interests he will administer State Forests. Large areas of Crown land are on the border-line between utilisation for settlement or for afforestation, and the respective departments will now have their problems settled by the same Minister. Hon. J. G. Cobbe succeeds to all portfolios held bv Mr T. M. Wilford on bis retirement, to become High Commissioner, with the added _ responsibility for all classes of pensions, which were formerly controlled by two different Ministers.

There is- another grouping involved in the additional portfolio of Industries and Commerce placed with Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle (Minister of Tourists), as this brings under one Ministerial head the two departments which have the same departmental control.

There is appropriateness in .selecting All - S'. G. Smith as Alinister of Labour, as his first nubile activities were in connection with trade unions and be was secretary of the New Plymouth branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants when lie resigned to contest a bve-eleotion successfully in 1918. All- A. J. Murdoch, the new Minister of Lands, is a- dairy farmer who started life as a school-teacher.

As a result of Air -Smith’s appointnmnt. the House of Representatives will need to elect early in the session a- new chairman of committees and the United Partv a chief Whip in place of Mr Murdoch-