THE WAR CABINET

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25287, 22 August 1945, Page 6

THE WAR CABINET

FORMAL DISSOLUTION

MR FRASER'S WARM TRIBUTE (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday The dissolution of the New Zealand War Cabinet was announced today by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, who said it had come to the unanimous conclusion that its functions in future could be performed by the Government Cabinet. As a result of this decision the Hon. A. Hamilton and the Hon. W. Perry retired by mutual consent and both have tendered their resignation to the Governor-General. "As a wartime political administration T believe that the War Cabinet has more than justified our highest expectations and the success of its task is reflected in the manner in which the country's magnificent war effort has been Conducted," said .Mr !' raser. "At the conclusion of their labours —and I would add that they were available at all hours of the day and night for the country's war effort- —the members of the War Cabinet are parting in a spirit of mutual respect and with a feeling of warm personal friendship." Two Valuable Members The Prime Minister expressed his sincere appreciation of the services rendered bv Mr Hamilton since .July, 1910, and Mr Perry since 194-3, when he was appointed to (ill the vacancy caused by the death of the Ht. Hon. .J. G. Coates. Both Mr Hamilton and Mr Perry made most valuable contributions,to the work of the War Cabinet.

Ai: Minister in charge of War Expenditure .Mr Hamilton was of the greatest assistance by bis careful scrutiny and examination of all sums expended under the War Expenses Account. Through his long association with the U.S.A. and with his practical experience* during the last war Mr Perry also, had been a most valuable member. Both Ministers had played their full part in arriving at decisions, many of them of the greatest complexity and difficulty, which had to he made from time to time and they both displayed the utmost loyalty in upholding those decisions.

Mr Eraser added that the personal relationships between members had been of the closest and friendliest kind and were marked by the highest personal trust, There had never been any discussions which had not been harmonious and friendly and at no time did politics enter into the discussions. Mr Coates' Inspiring Example "The occasion of the dissolution of the War Cabinet is one on which L should also recall and pay tribute to the outstanding service of the late Mr Coates who. with Mr Hamilton, was an original member of the War Cabinet when it was formed in the dark days of July, 1910," said the Prime Minister. "In putting the war effort in the forefront of everything Mr Coates' I example served as an inspiration to all. The energy with which he devoted himself to his duties and his wise counsel, based on practical knowledge of military matters and his wide administrative experience, made him a most valuable colleague whose untimely loss was a blow, not only to the members of the War Cabinet, but also to the country's war effort."' Mr Fraser concluded wi'.h an expression of appreciation for the most valuable services of the other members of t 1 ■ War Cabinet, Mr Nash, Mr Sullivan and Mr Jones. The Hon. A. Hamilton and the Hon. W. Perry were each in receipt of a salary of £ll7O a year as members of the War Cabinet. Mr Hamilton had been a member since the War Cabinet was formed in July. 1910. Mr Perry in June. 1943. was appointed to the seat left vacant by the death of the Rt. Hon. J. G. C'oaies. NATIONAL SAVINGS INVESTMENT STILL NEEDED An appeal for the continuance of national savings in New Zealand was made in a broadcast last night by Mr T. N. Smallwood. chairman of the National Savings Committee. Mr Smallwood pointed out that in the immediate post-war years there was a much greater danger of inflation than during the war itself. If the people of the Dominion continued to invest in national savings they would be benefiting their country now and would later reap the benefit themselves when the goods and supplies they wished tp buy would lie available, Mr Smallwood asked those who had withdrawn part of their national savings to rebuild their accounts. Ho mentioned that many of the subscribers entitled to withdraw money had let it remain where it was in the national savings account at 3 per cent interest. TUBERCULOSIS CASES "One can be worried over the unsatisfactory homes in which so many of our Wellington citizens are living, but where tho conditions are directly responsible for the spread of a preventable disease with needless waste of many young lives, that is a tragedy," said the Wellington medical oflicer of health, Dr Hubert Smith, at a public meeting called to form a Wellington Tuberculosis Association. "The satisfactory housing of our tuberculosis families is the most urgent of our community needs." he said. In Wellington, out of a population of about 1.70,000, there were 10(53 cases of tuberculosis on the books in December, 19 I I, continued Dr Smith, Two hundred and twenty of these cases were in hospitals or sanatoria, 716 were in the homes, and 97 were in boarding houses or hotels. Wellington's incidence rate was 5.84 a 1000. while Auckland's was 4.08, Christchurch's. 3.73, and Duriedin'a 3.20,