NEW MINISTER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 78, 14 March 1933, Page 4

NEW MINISTER

THE POSSIBILITIES. TRANSPORT PROBLEM. — ! Now that Parliament has adjourned I one of the first questions that will be considered by the Government will be the appointment of the new Minister to fill the vacancy in the Cabinet caused by the resignation of the Hon. W. Downie Stewart (states the “Post.”) Ever since Mr Stewart’s retirement speculation has been rife as to Ins possible successor, and it was stated on more than one occasion in political circles that the Government could rely on the support of one or two of its followers so long as they were in the run-, ning for the position. Under the terms of the Coalition pact the new Minister must be a nominee of the Minister of Finance (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates), and tins naturally narrows the selection down to a member of the Reform Party. At least half a dozen possibilities have been mentioned during the last few weeks, but there is a general consensus of opinion that the choice lies among the lion. A. D. McLeod (Wairarapa), -Mr VV. P. Endean (Parnell), -and Mr A. i E. Ansell (Chalmers). Mr McLeod has been in the limelight ever since he headed tho high exchange deputation to Cabinet, and it i is considered in some quarters that his | previous Ministerial experience will i stand him in good stead when Mr Coates is making his selection On ' the other hand there is definite opposition to inclusion of another rural mem. ber in the Cabinet. The chief claim of Mr. Endean rests in the fact that he is a member of the legal profession, and that he would thus be eligible for the Attorney-Gon- | eralship. However, there is at least i one prominent member of Cabinet who holds that the Attorney-General need not necessarily be a lawyer. He points out that the Minister who holds this office has behind him the Solicitor-Gen-eral and other highly qualified members of the Crown Law Office, and that it is better for him to take their advice than act on his own initiative. He also holds that should a layman hold the portfolio Cabinet would still have the services of a qualified legal man in tho Minister of Native Affairs (the Hou. Sir Apirana Ngata). OVERHAUL OF TRANSPORT. The remaining prominent candidate, Mr. Ansell, now seems to be the popular pick. One of the portfolios Mr. Coates is anxious to dispose of is Transport, and it is no secret that he has frequently consulted Mr. Ansell on transport matters during the past few years. Some years ago Mr. Coates publicly stated in Dunedin that Mr. Ansell, perhaps more than any other person in New Zealand, was responsible for the Highways Act being placed on the Statute Book. Although he represents a semi-rural constituency, Mr. Ansell is a city man. For some years he has been in business as a wholesale clothing manufacturer, and it is considered that his appointment would counteract the objections to another representative of the farming interests being appointed to Cabinet. On the other hand, in view of Mr. Coates’s j announcement that the Government in- I tends to overhaul the whole of the transport legislation, it is held in some quarters that Mr. Ansell’s identification with the motoring interests may give him a bias towards that form of transport. However, he has made a long study of the position, and if the most important portfolio of Transport is to be reallocated his claims to it would appear to be stronger than those of any other member of the Reform section of the Coalition.