MEETING OF CABINET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20564, 15 May 1930, Page 10

MEETING OF CABINET.

PROCEEDINGS AT ROTORUA. A CONTINUATION TO-DAY. DELAY ON TRAIN JOURNEY. ["BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] ROTORUA. Wednesday. Every Minister of the Crown save ono is at present in Rotorua to attend a scries of Cabinet meetings which commenced this morning and are expected to conclude to-morrow. Except for a brief visit to Wellington early in March, tho Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, has been in Rotorua receiving treatment for the past four months, and to-day's meetings were held in his private suite at the Prince's Gate Private Hotel. Six Ministers arrived from Wellington this morning, and four others beside Sir Joseph Ward were already in Rotorua. The only absentee is Sir Thomas Sidev, Leader of the Legislative Council. With tho Ministerial party came Mr. F. D. 1 homson, head of tho Prime Minister's department : Mr. Vincent Ward, ono of the Prime Minister's private secretaries; Mr. G. C. Black, M.l\ for Motueka, junior whip for tho United Party, and Mr. T. W. McDonald,' M.P. fop Wairarapa. Following the resignation of Mr. T. M. Wilford, Mr. McDonald was regarded as being in tho running for appointment as Minister of Defence, but (ho Cabinet vacancy was not fdled and the Hon. J. G. Cobbo was allotted the portfolio. Mr. McDonald denied that his presence with tho party had any Ministerial significance, and explained that the object of his visit was to place before tho Cabinet a matter affecting his electorate. A cruising ea- attached to tho limited express was detached at Frankton and run as a special train to Rotorua, \Vhich was reached at 10.30 a.m., an hour later than schedule time. The limited express was a littlo late in arriving at Frankton, and fog caused a slower journey than anticipated on tho run from Frankton to Rotorua. Accordingly, only about an hour was available for the Cabinet meeting in tho morning. The visiting party had planned to leave on tho return trip to Wellington during the late afternoon, but it was found impossible to completo tho programme in tho time available, and tho Ministers now expect to depart tomorrow afternoon. Tho meeting this afternoon lasted nearly three hours, and tho Cabinet met again at 7.50 this evening.

FINANCIAL PROPOSALS. NO STATEMENT ISSUED. [RY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL RErOTITEII. 1 EOTOIIUA, Wednesday. "We have been discussing matters connected with the financial proposals to be submitted during the approaching session of Parliament," said the Hon. G. W. Forbes, after this evening's meeting of the Cabinet, which lasted about two hours. Ho intimated that there was nothing to report arising out of these questions. Mr. Forbes said the Cabinet would meet again to-morrow and it was hoped to complete the business in time to allow Ministers to leave late to-morrow afternoon. Mr. A. D. Park, Secretary of the Treasury, attended tho Cabinet meeting while finance was under review. Sir. G. McNarnara, Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, has also been in attendance, indicating that the subject of salaries and other questions connected with that department have been considered as was promised to a deputation in Wellington last week. Although the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, suffered a bilious attack early in the week, he had recovered sufficiently to attend to-day's meeting.