The Timaru Herald WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1926. MR COATES’S TEAM.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 16 June 1926, Page 8

The Timaru Herald WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1926. MR COATES’S TEAM.

With tho appointmeufc of tlie lion. K. S. Williams, who takes over the. important portfolio el' Public Works, the. Pnino Minister completes the Ministry With Which he will face Parliament to-day. Seven months have been occupied in Cabinet making and although several of the recent, appointments were anticipated by political observers in the capital city, the Prime Minister kept Iris own counsel throughout, and refused to be drawn by the guessers. It is not drawing - the long - bow to say that the South Island views with concern the disproportionate representation of the North Island m the Cabinet. When the Prime Minister announced his first instalment of Cabinet re-organ-isation, thedecisiou to appoint, a North Islander to the office of Minister of Agriculture scarcely met with the approval of the South Island where the preponderance of agricultural interests has to he safeguarded; indeed, the consensus of opinion favours the choice of a Minister of Agriculture from a South Island constituency. Tho effect, of the Prime Minister’s choice of a North Islander will soon be made apparent, and it. is freely reported that the new Minister of Agriculture lias the question of the locality of the proposed agricultural college almost settled, and it is rumoured that it will he in the North Island. Before the Minister announces Ids decision the people of the South Island should make themselves heard in support of the claim that the proposed agricuP tural college should he located in the South Island, which is so whole-heartedly interested in agriculture. We rather fear, however, that with the Ministerial heads of the Agriculture, Lands and Education Departments, as well as the Prime Minister’, representing North Island constituencies, that the cliances of the South Island holding its own in the struggle for justice in the matter of selecting the site for the new college, are not very rosy. But the South Island parliamentarians should not cease their activities- in southern affairs, although it is manifestly clear that, with the new Ministry composed of the u ndermen ti on eel representation for each Island, the weight of influence may be expected to swing in favour of the North Island:

North. Rt. Hon. J. G. Contes. Hon. it F. Bollard. Hon. O. J. Hawken. Hon. A. D. McLeod. Hon. Sir Maui Pomarc. Hon. K. S. Williams. • Hon. R. A. Wright. Hon. J. A. Young. Rt. Hon. Sir Francis Bell. South. Hon. G. J. Anderson. Hon. Wm. Nor,worthy. Hon. F. J. Rolleston. Hon. W. Downie Stewart. Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes. The South Island anticipated that, Mr David Jones, member for Ellesmere, would have been elevated to the Cabinet, but ill all probability the Prime Minister did not .feel disposed to bestow such early preferment on the newly-elected member for Ellesmere. Nevertheless, the Ministry which is by no means strong in debating power, may before the session proceeds v.ery far, feel the absence of 'such capable talkers as Mr David Jones and Mr E. P. Lee. In this district there is a feeling of disappointment, that the Member for Timaru has been given portfolios which do not, bring him into closer touch with the people. Doubtless there are many politicians, whose hearts would g-low with pride had tho office of Attorney-General been conferred upon them, hut it is felt that Mr Rolleston would 'have made liis mark in the political arena as Minister of Educaion, since he would have taken charge of the Department and quickly put that, chaotic Rouse in order. In saying this wo do not wish to disparage the now Minister who has had a sound training in the administrative side of education, and will soon get a grip, of his new dulies, but it must be confessed that. Mr Rolleston would have excelled himself in charge of Education, since it, is eminently dosirahle that the strongest, possible hand should he, jdaeed on the tiller of that ship;, which, in the word of the' Assistant Director of Education, is “drift--11 . r d’he new Minister of I üblie Works should make good. He is a man of few words,' but he may have, the knack of ‘‘getting things done" without playing to the gallery. Mr Coates, has a loam which is numerically stronger than several previous Ministries, and he has a. big in the. IIoua?. It may be pj-mkv.l out, however, that never tn the history of the Parliament, ot New Zealand lias the Cabinet been so strong in numbers as to be able to out-vote the official Opposition. The first, Coates Cabinet consists of fourteen members, while on the benches to the left of the Speaker’s chair is _ tho official Opposition of thirteen members, including the Labour leader, wlm for the first time, .fares Parliament, as Leader of the Opposition. Lor the first time in years the Government laces the House, which moots today, with an overwhelming majority. Through all his later days, the Rt, Hon. W. F. Massey lived on a very lean voting Karpins, hut Mr Coates has a following about t wice as large as all the rest put together. One of the first, duties- of tho new

House will be the election of a Speaker. Mr C. E. Statbam, who occupied the chair in the last Parliament, was returned at the General Elections, and it is believed that his will be the only nomination for the office. Ear many reasons the session of Parliament which opens to-day is arousing considerable interest,, and the people of the Dominion, who decided by such an overwhelming majority to give, Mr Coates a. chance to “make good” will doubtless watch the trend of bis leadership with keen yet critical interest.