POLITICAL PARTIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24449, 7 November 1940, Page 10

POLITICAL PARTIES

PERSONNEL OF MINISTRY LEADERSHIP OF NATIONAL PARTY EARLY CHANGES ANTICIPATED (Special ro Dailv Times) WELLINGTON, Nov. 6. Changes in both political parties are anticipated in the near future, these involving the personnel cf the Ministry and the leadership of the Rational Parly. Wnen Mr Fraser became Prime Minister after the death of Mr Savage last year the then Ministers were confirmed in office at a caucus of members of the Parliamentary, Labour Party, but it was slated that their, appointments were to be subject to review at the end of the year. A Labour caucus at which the Ministerial appointments will be reviewed is expected to take place some time alter the conclusion of the sitting of Parliament to be resumed at the end of this month. The names of the Minister of Health, Mr H. T. Armstrong, the Minister of Agriculture. Mr Lee Martin. and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr W. E. Parry, have been mentioned as those most likely to be replaced in any ■ Cabinet reconstruc-tion-that might be made, but there is, of course, no. authority for this statement.

The - question, gf a change in the leadership of the National Party m Parliament is to be discussed at a caucus of the parliamentary members of the party which is to be held before the resumption of the session on November 26. This leadership question is mot bv any means a new one. having been discussed ,on numerous occasions by caucuses of the party as well as by the parly organisation itself, particularly since the present leader. Mr A. Hamilton, became a member of the War Cabinet. , Mr -Hamilton has now served four years' as leader of the party" in Parliament, and it is well known that he is willing to stand aside should there be any desire for a change. It Is generally recognised that Mr Hamilton’s duties as a member of the Wap-Cabinet are a full-time job. and.it is felt in some quarters that if he were relieved of the leadership of the party he would be free to devote all his energies to the prosecution of the war effort. The view has also been expressed by some supporters of the party that it is undesirable in the interests of the party itself for two offices to be held by one man, and that occasions may arise when it would be extremely difficult for one to reconcile his duties as Leader of the Opposition with those as a member of the Cabinet. The name of Mr S. G. Holland, member for Christchurch North, has been mentioned as a possible successor to Mr Hamilton as leader of the party.