THE NEW CABINET.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 81, 2 April 1912, Page 6

THE NEW CABINET.

THE MEMBER FOR OTAKI. (Per Press Association.) Levin, April 1. Mr Robertson, M.P. for Otaki, interviewed here, laughingly said he supposed he must get'into -line, as he noticed all the Labour members were being forced into print since! the new Ministry had .been announced. He considered it certainly the most Radical Ministry ever formed in New Zealand. While those already on the land could foci assured from the personnel of the Cabinet that farmers’ interests would bo promoted, the masses had also good reason to believe that problems such’ as ’ the cost of living and the improvement of the machinery for the settlement of industrial disputes would be tackled with earnestness. On the whole the now Cabinet had as good a chance of carrying on as any Cabinet could have in the present state of parties. The Opposition’s criticisms of the Mackenzie Cabinet would apply with even greater force to any possible Opposition Cabinet, for of necessity such a combination would comprise untried men. Mr Robertson did not think it advisable that Labour .should have a seat in the Cabinet this time. Concluding, he said that ho had seen an interview with Mr Payne, M.P., telegraphed from (Napier, regarding Mr Payne’s determination to vote against the Mackenzie Cabinet and support Mr Massey, conditional on Labour being given Ministerial representation. Mr Robertson doubted the statement, and said that from what ho knew of Mr Payne’s views he was inclined to think Mr Payne had been misrepresented.