CABINET REVISIONS.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13380, 1 April 1912, Page 5

CABINET REVISIONS.

POeTMASTEI^GENERAL'S POSI-

TION,

FUTURE OF THE DEFENCE PORT-

FOLIO,

(Special to "Tho Colonist.")

waiimgion, march 31. The Hon H. G. Ell, one of the two un~ salaried Ministers in the now Government, has been allocated the important position of Postmaster-General, filled until this week's changes by Sir Joseph Ward. There is a very recent precedent for the taking of a portfolio without pay, the present Prime Minister, when ho joined Sir Joseph' Ward's Cabinet in January, 1909, without salary, bavinundertaken the control of the Industries and Commerce Department, Scenery Preservation Department, and Stato Forests. He became a Minister on full pay in May, 1909. The'Hon James Colvin, who appeared in the original selection as PostmasterGeneral, is extremely anxious to givo full attention to the Mines Department, which owing to the extension of Stato trading activities and die general growth of the industry is no sinecure. "I recognise I am following the footsteps of an able man in taking charge of this department," remarked Mr Colvin to your reporter. "I intend to concentrate all the attention possible upon the work, and to do my best to keep up a progressive policy. I was not anxious for the Postmaster-Gener-al's position., as it would have taken up too much of my time from mining." A slight chance in on© of the minor portfolios has been made by transferring from the Hon J. Colvin to the Hob G. W. Russell the control of the- 'Government Printing Office. This is « matter of which the latter has had a lifelong knowledge. Possibly the most criticised point in the allocation of portfolios was the fact that the Hon A. M. Myers becomes Minister for Railways., Minister of Finance, and also Minister in charge of tho Defence Department during a particularly trying period of its existence. His great tact will bo a valuable factor here, but he may easily become overworked, because it is realised among Parliament tarians tha* the Minister for Railways has a tremendous amount of detail and many large policy questions to consider with a concern capitalised at thirty millions and employing 12,000 men. It is highly probable, therefore, that whoever is selected to fill the vacant portfolio of Attorney-General will also be entrusted with the defence administration.

Wsiiington, March 31