NEW MINISTER.

Timaru Herald, Issue 170269, 14 July 1920, Page 8

NEW MINISTER.

SIR 11. HEATON RHODES

WILL PROBABLY TAKE DEFENCE,

From out- Parliamentary Correspondent

WELLINGTON, July 3 3. The new Minister to be appointed to complete the Cabinet and to bring it tip to full strength is to be Sir ft. Heaton Rhodes, member for Ellesniere and a former member of the Reform Ministry. Sir Heaton Rhodes (or Mr Rhodes, as he then was) had been "Whip for the Reform Party during the ; ears in which the party had been in "operation, and when Mr Massey formed his first Ministry he gave to Mr '-Rhodes the portfolio of the Post Office and Public Health. _ These he held until 1915, when the time came for the formation, of the National Ministry, when he, with other members of the Ministry, placed his resignation in the hands" or the Prime Minister. Mr Rhodes, however, insisted that his resignation should be final, for he saw that if there was to he a Coalition Government some of the members of the existing Government would have to retire. Soon afterwards he went' abroad with a special Commission to inquire into questions raised here as to the welfare of New Zealand soldiers on active service. The Gallipoli campaign was then going on, and Mr Rhodes went not only to Egypt and Lemnos, but right Tip to ,the front, and over the whole extent of the front from Suvla southwards.-' It is now an open secret that while-there he was recommended by General Godley for Command of the Mounted Brigade when General Russell was made Commander of the Division at the conclusion on the Gallipoli campaign. It was through no fault of his that Colonel Rhodes did not accept this command. When he returned to New Zealand Parliament vot-ed to him £SOO for his expenses, and this stun, supplemented ..by : "an adaditional £SOO from his own resources, Mr Rhodes gavo for the establishment of a fund for ccholarships! for the children of a fund which has since then been considerably supplemented by Lady Rhodes. Soon afterwards Mr Rhodes- was despatched to England and France as Commissioner for the New' Zealand Red Cross, and he was absent from New Zealand for some two years. It was in recognition of his special services for the Red Cross that he was created a Knight of the British Empire, the only one in the country. It is understood that Sir Heaton Rhodes is to take the. portfolio of Defence. When previously m office he was accouned' a good administrator,' and ho was exceedingly popular with all Departments in his care.'