THE CABINET.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 3956, 23 January 1900, Page 4

THE CABINET.

Mr Seddon has at last-completed the work of Cabinet reconstruction, and on the whole it may be said that lie has done it wisely and well. The Ministry as it now stands is stronger and abler than it has been since Mr Reeves left for London and Mr Ward resigned on ! account of his temporary financial difficulties; but this result has only been attained by the creation of -an extra Minister, who cannot draw a salary until provision has been'made for it by Parliament. If seven Ministers' are necessary, their salaries- will of course be* found; but it would nave been more constitutional, and more respectful to Parliament, if the appointment had not. been mad© in anticipation of the vote. The majority ol members will now feel bound by the action of the Cabinet, and will probably offer no serious objection to making the law retrospective, so as to.provide for the payment ot the salary from the date of the new creation. Wc would have preferred that Parliament should liave been afforded an opportunity of freely debating the question of the necessity for -a . seventh Minister, and of considering the alternative proposal to appoint * Parliamentary Under-Secre-taries ; but the Cabinet has, by its action, settled both these questions; and apparently only intends to call upon Parliament to confirm and sanction what has been done.

If we grant that a seventh Ministei was required, and that it was a “sine qua non’’ that he should he an Auckland representative—two tremendous assumptions, by ,the -way—it must ho admitted that Mr Seddon’s choice is the quo that will yield the largest amount of,satisfaction. 21 r McGowan, the new Minister of Mines, is a strong man in ids district and . a popular member of the House. If he is not brilliant, ho is at anymte 'prompt, practical and business-like. His extended experipiicn of local- government affairs; with

hi; P.'.rliaracnrary knowi.'sagp■rjiperacsdmi, will tend to make him a most useful administrator. His long residence in a mining district has familiarised him with the needs of the mining industry, and ne has views of his own with respect to its Inline development. -He is easy of access, affable yet (inn. Mr McGowan's appointment to a seal in the Cabinet may not satisfy everybody—that task is proverbially impossible of accomplishment—hut it will he acclaimed by the vast majority of Parliament and public as one that will add to the stability of the Ministry, the dignity of Parliament and the efiicieucy of the administration of the colony’s aftairs.