THE CABINET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23620, 2 April 1940, Page 6

THE CABINET

PRIME MINISTER THE HON. P. FRASER TEMPORARY ACTION CAUCUS YET TO DECIDE [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] WELLINGTON. Monday Pending an opportunity of consulting his party, the Hon. P. Fraser agreed, in response to an invitation by the Governor-General, Viscount Galwav, this afternoon, to form forthwith a provisional Ministry comprising the existing members of the Cabinet. -Mr. Fraser told the Governor-General that his recommendations in respect of a new Ministry would bo submitted at the end of the week. Mr. Fraser is the first representative of a city of Wellington seat to become Prime Minister of New Zealand. Pie was summoned to Government House at 2.30 t p.m. and on returning to Parliament Buildings he met the Cabinet. Gazette Announcements A Gazette Extraordinary issued tonight confirms the existing members of the Executive Council in their office. Another clause states that the Gover-nor-General has been pleased to api point Mr. Fraser to be Prime Minister land the Hon. F. Langstone to be i Minister of External Affairs, Native Minister and Minister for the Cook i Islands. Another Gazette confirms the existing Ministers in their Ministerial offices, and a fourth notice appoints the Minister of Industries and Commerce to be Minister of Supply for the purposes of the Supply Control EmergI ency Regulations, 193 p. ; Party to be Consulted 1 In making an announcement to-night following his appointment as Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser said that certain minor adjustments of portfolios had j been made, but that all arrangements j wore purely of a temporary nature. He said that in accordance with constitutional law and practice the death of Mr. Savage immediately imposed the duty upon the Governor-General as the | direct representative of the Crown to call upon some person to take the office ; of Prime Minister, the holder of which has a special constitutional function and duties. His Excellency's action in refraining from carrying out that duty until after the actual burial of the late Prime Minister was very fully understood and appreciated. Tentative Arrangements ! "I advised His Excellency that it would be necessary for me to consull my party before any recommendations could be made for the formation of a i new Ministry," said Mr. Fraser, "but that 1 was willing to make such tentative arrangements for a provisional Ministry as would suit the circumstances. Under these conditions His Excellency appointed me Prime Minister until such time as the party can be consulted in regard to more permanent proposals." Mr. Fraser pointed out that the change in the office of Prime Minister ■ in accordance with constitutional prac- , tice necessarily involved the creation of ■ a fresh Ministry. 1 Late Mr. Savage's Portfolios ! "Pending consideration of the posi- ; tion by the party," the Prime Minister said, "I felt that it was desirable to ask His Excellency to fill temporarily the actual portfolios held by the late Mr. Savage and to confirm in their present offices all present members of the Executive Council and j holders of Ministerial offices. I "I propose to call the caucus toi getlier to consider the position on | Thursday,'" said Mr. Fraser.

PRESENT MINISTRY VARIOUS PORTFOLIOS HOUSING AND SECURITY POSTS AT PRESENT VACANT [by telegraph—owx correspondent] WELLINGTON, Monday With the appointment of Mr. Frnser as Prime Minister and Mr. Langstone to the portfolios previously held by the late Mr. Savage, the full list of Ministers and their portfolios is as follows: — The Hon. P. Frnser. —Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Health and Marine. Tho Hon. W. Nash.—Minister of Finance, Customs, Stamp Duties and . Marketing. The Hon. I). G. Sullivan. —Minister of Industries and Commerce and Minister of Railways. The Hon. H. G. Mason.—AttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice. The Hon. H. T. Armstrong.—Minister of Immigration. The Hon. R. Semple.—Minister of Public Works and Minister of Transport. The Hon. W. E. Parry.—Minister of Internal Affairs. The Hon. P. C. Webb.—Minister of Labour and Mines. The Hon. F. Jones. —Postmaster-Gen-eral, Minister of Telegraphs and Minister of Defence. Tho Hon. W. Lee Martin.—Minister of Agriculture. The Hon. F. Langstone. —Minister of Lands, External Affairs, Native Minister, Commissioner of State Forests and Minister for tho Cook Islands. The Hon. D. Wilson. —Member of the Executive Council without portfolio. No significance attaches to the omission from the gazetted list of portfolios of the positions of Minister of Housing and Minister of Social Security. An official explanation is that no provision is made for these portfolios on the present Civil List.