IMPERIAL WAR CABINET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16760, 29 January 1918, Page 4

IMPERIAL WAR CABINET

WHO REPRESENTS DOMINION? DECISION STILL IN ABEYANCE [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Monday. The Cabinet was sitting continuously all day to-day, and, although there was no announcement. to this effect, it is considered certain that the representation of; New Zealand at the coming meeting of the Imperial War Cabinet was discussed. | The announcement of the Prime Minis- | ter, the Eight Hon. W. F. Massey, is j that a special meeting of the Cabinet will , consider this question, but, it ii) impro- | bable that this meeting will be heW this j week. i The question in which great interest j centres is whether Mr. Massey or the . Minister for Defence, Sir James Allen, is ; to go to London. It is reported that Sir • James is still unwilling to go, and that he • Is especially unwilling to relinquish his 'control of the Defence Department. On the other hand it is an open secret that his colleagues do not share his opinion that all is well with the administration of the Department, and that, for this reason, they would be well enough ; pleased if Sir James handed the reins to someone else for a time. If there is to be a change the new Minister for Defence will, it is thought, be Mr. Massey. In that case, it is believed, Mr. Guthrie, who will be joining the Cabinet in a week or two, may take the Department of Lands from the heavily burdened shoulders of the Prime Minister. Otherwise Mr. Massey will, it is considered, prefer to retain the Lands portfolio. It is the Department in which he is most interested and of which he knows most. It is still possible that Mr. Massey may have to go to England, but, unless his presence at the War Cabinet meeting is represented as being imperative, he will stay in New Zealand.