PUBLIC WORKS MINISTER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17058, 12 June 1926, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS MINISTER.

MR. WILLIAMS’ APPOINT-. V ’ - ■ MENT. OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED. (Per Press Association.) * WELLINGTON, last night. Mr. K. S. Williams, member for the Bay of Plenty, lias been appointed Minister of Public Works which portfolio has been relinquished by the Prime Minister. The announcement of the appointment of Air. K. S. Williams, ALP. for Bay of Plenty, to the position of Min? • ister of Public Works, which was made In the Herald on Thursday, has now been officially confirmed by the Prime Alinister, Air. Coates. As stated previously the important post was ottered to Mr. Williams a fortnight ago. On Alav 27 he left for the north, and the following day was met. by Air. Coates, and the offer then made, and subsequently accepted.

HIGH COMMENDATION

APPOINTMENT WILL INSPIRE

APPROVAI

(Special to the Herald.t WELLINGTON, this day. . In a leading article, the Dominion' highly commends Mr. Coates’ latest . appointment to-the Alinistry. It says: “The;, appointment of the new Minister of Public Works is one that may be expected to inspire general approval and confidence. The Hon.: K. 8. Williams, as i\e now,becomes;- is-in several respects an -outstanding, figure. 1 He is one of the Hew members of Parliament who have had the honor in recent years of being returned unopposed) in Parliament, and in tl>e country, by those who know him, • he is universally liked and respected. Air. ■ Williams has, at all tinfes, held himself studiously aloof from anything in the nature of petty party contention, and not many members have made fewer contributions to the debates of Parliament. Even in bis infrequent speeches, however, there have been indications of the extended and varied acquaintance he is known to possess with problems of rural development- in this country. A long working experience in thei backblocks has given the new Alinister an admirable preparation for the important- duties he is now called upon to undertake. THE PUBLIC' WORKS TOLICY. Thanks, to. the enterprising initiative of the.present Prime Alinister. the public works policy in this country has been thoroughly systematised and the task of the Alinister,of Public Works in the immediate future will be,> in a great part, to see that there is no departure from fho well-ordored, plans .and. improved methods that.have been adopted. It would plainly be as much against the interests of the workers concerned as against thoso of the country to break up these excellent conditions in order to provide work for unemployed. Unemv ployment must be dealt with as a separate problem." and the most hopeful method of abolishing unemployment is to.make such - conditions, of labor organisation as-have been -applied to development work, as wide-spread as possible. In placing the administrative control of public works in the competent hands of Air. Williams, the Prime Minister has got rid of a burdensome portfolio. This is a big step in the light direction, and should greatly assist the Prime Alinister to concentrate on those affairs which have the chief claim on his attention.”