APPOINTMENT OF MINISTERS

Southland Times, Issue 23791, 13 April 1939, Page 6

APPOINTMENT OF MINISTERS

SPEECH BY MR SAVAGE AT CONFERENCE RUMOURS OF SPLIT IN PARTY I (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 12. There was a note of drama at the Labour Party conference, according to the official report which is now available, when the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) at the conclusion of his address, referred to the fact that for some months there had been rumours of a split in the Parliamentary Labour Party and a document had been circulated which gave some evidence of a serious difference of opinion. Speaking dispassionately at first, the Prime Minister outlined the situation that had developed in the caucus, but later his demeanour indicated clearly that he felt his position keenly. Referring to an incident that had taken place, he said: “I don’t want people to tell me they love me and then find that they are holding meetings behind my back.” Mr Savage explained that a difference of opinion had arisen about the selection of Cabinet Ministers and after some consultations it had been agreed that for the future the leader of the Parliamentary Party should be appointed during the final session of each Parliament, that he should consult the caucus and discuss the personnel of Cabinet until a general agreement had been arrived at and that if it were considered necessary and desirab.e by the leader a ballot should be taken, it being his duty to ascertain the opinion of the Parliamentary Party to synchronize them with his own right of finai selection of the Ministers with whom he had to carry on the Government’s work. One of the speakers to the motion of confidence in Mr Savage and the Cabinet declared that differences of opinion should not be allowed to halt progress, but that if the opinion in caucus should develop into a deadlock it was proper to reserve for the Prime Minister the final decision as to what should be the next step taken.

INFORMATION ABOUT CONFERENCE

LEAKAGES DISCUSSED BY DELEGATES (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 12. Developments-at the annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party in Wellington today occupied the delegates practically throughout the morning and afternoon sessions and it is not now likely that the conference will end before Friday. Previously it was expected to end tomorrow.

No official statement is available on the questions which thus occupied the conference. It is understood that they arose from leakages of information, first, from the conference and, second, from the caucus. There was no mistaking the keen interest taken by the delegates in the proceedings and there was practically a full attendance of Cabinet Ministers. It is known that speakers at the close of the discussion late in the afternoon included Mr J. A. Lee, M.P., who was followed by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage). Steps designed to minimize the chance of further leakages of information about the conference proceedings are also understood to have been taken,