REFORM ADMINISTRATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3618, 17 July 1923, Page 28

REFORM ADMINISTRATION

THE ELEVENTH ANNIVERSARY. CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES TO MR MASSEY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 10. Today is the eleventh anniversary of the in of the Reform Administration, which took office on July 10, 1912. Of the original members of Mr Massey’s Cabinet there now remain the Prime Minister himself, Sir Francis Bell, Sir Win. Fraser (who is now a member of the Executive Council without portfolio), Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, and Sir Maui Pomare. With the exception of Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, the gentlemen mentioned above have all had continuous service. When the National Cabinet was in office Sir Heaton Rhodes resigned his seat to go on a war commission to Gallipoli, arid afterwards he assumed control of the New Zealand Red Cross in London. Sir Heaton Rhodes rejoined the Cabinet at the reconstruction in 1919. This morning the executive of the Wellingtcn Reform League waited on Mr Massey and officially conveyed its felicitations to him on the celebration of the anniversary of his Administration coming mlo power.

A meeting of the Reform members of Parliament accorded Mr Massey their good wishes, together with hearty assurances of continued loyalty and esteem. A reminder of the occasion when Mr Alas sey assumed control of the affairs of New Zealand hangs in the room of the Prime Minister’s secretary (Air F. D. Thomson). This is a horseshoe inscribed, “Good luck,” which was received in Mr Massey’s mail

on the morning on which his original Government was sworn in. The horseshoe was forwarded to Air Massey from an old lady who resides in the King Country, and with the exception of one occasion when it was taken down to be cleaned, it has hung in the Prime Minister’s office ever since its arrival, being suspended by the original piece of blue ribbon which was attached to it. After the House rose this evening several members of Parliament and prominent men from different parts of the dominion who are now in Wellington, assembled in the Prime Alinister’s room and congratulated him on the splendid work he had done for New Zealand during his term of office. They assured him that there was a general desire throughout the dominion that he should go to London, that he would return benefited by his trip to the Alother Country, and that he would conduct the affairs of the dominion for many Years to come.

Air Massey is receiving many telegrams from all parts of the dominion congratulating him oh his eleventh birthday as Prime Minister of New Zealand.