VACANCY IN CABINET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19727, 29 August 1927, Page 8

VACANCY IN CABINET.

MR. BOLLARD'S PORTFOLIO. THREE NAMES SUGGESTED. ALL SOUTH ISLAND MEMBERS. [BY telegraph.—special reporter.] WELLINGTON, Sunday. The question of the selection of another Minister, to fill the vacancy in the Cabinet caused by the death of the Hon. R. F. Bollard, is of more importance and of greater general interest than the pending by-election in the Raglan electorate. At present there are tea members of the Cabinet, the Prime Minister, the Hons. A. D. McLeod, J. A. Young, R. A. Wright, K. S. Williams, 0. J. Hawben, W. D. Stewart, v G. J. Anderson, W. Nosworthy and F. T. Rolleston. The first six are from the North Island, and the other four are South Island representatives. Sir Maui Pomare is a member of the Ministry without portfolio. Three men in the present party stand out prominently as being in the running for the vacant portfolio. These are Messrs. D. Jones (Ellesmere), Mr. Adam Hamilton (Wallace), and Mr. E. P. Lee (Oamaru). All three have the qualifications of ability and debating power. Mr. D. Jortes is one of the best debaters in the House, Mr. Adam Hamilton'is a good speaker and a man with original ideas, - while Mr. E. P. Lee is also effective in debate and has the added qualification of having already had experience as a Minister of the Crown. The question of personal popularity—important as a Ministerial attribute—may be ultimately the deciding factor, but it seems fairly certain that Mr. Coates will not go beyond the three mentioned in his choice of the new member of his Cab inet. Messrs. Jones and Hamilton are mem bers of the Meat Export Board an< appointment as a member of the Cabin> would no doubt involve resignation frc that position. BY-ELECTION IN RAGLAN PLANS NOT YET MADE. TRIANGULAR CONTEST PROBABLE. [BY TELEGRAPH. SPECIAL REPORTER-] "WELLINGTON, Stmday. A by-election in the Raglan constituency has been made necessary by the death of the Hon. R. F. Bollard, who was the P . member of Parliament for that district since 1911. The political parties have postponed the making of any plans to contest the by-eleciion until after Mr. Bollard's funeral, but it is expected that the coming week will see the' organisers at work. It may be taken for granted that should an election be necessary the contest will be a three-cornered one. The Government could hardly let the seat go by de- - fault, especially as the seat is regarded as a good one for Reform. For the Labour Party there is the equally strong incentive to conduct a winning contest in that on it will depend to some extent the maintenance of the party's position as the Official Opposition. At present this party has 13 members in the House against 12 other varying elements which go to make up the Nationalist, Liberal, New Liberal and Independent opposition. The return of a further adherent to another Opposition party other than Labour might be the means of bringing about some semblance of unity among the differing elements, and an interesting situation would then arise as to who would be the Official Opposition. The .procedure in inaugurating a byelection is simple. The vacancy is first notified in the Gazette and the Speaker of the House of Representatives then issues to the writs a warrant to conduct the by-election. It is customary to allow some days to elapse between the occurrence of tho vacancy and the issue of the writ, which is returnable within 28 days. Nominations close not later than noon on the tenth day before the day fixed for the election.