THE NEW MINISTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7996, 27 April 1904, Page 3

THE NEW MINISTRY.

United P Teas Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright. (Received April 27, 9.47 a.m.) MELBOURNE, April 27. Ministers will be sworn in at a special meeting of the Executive at 11 a.m. to-day, and will meet the House aij 2.30 p.m. Mr Watson will then ask for an adjournment for j three weeks to formulate a policy. i A marked feature of the new team is its • lack of Ministerial experience. Mr Dawson was onoe Premier of Queensland for a few days, Mr Fisher being included in bis shortI lived Cabinet. Mr Batchelor, in South Aus? I fcralia, served for a time in the last GovernI ment under Sir Frederick Holder, but none of the others have been in office, though Mr M'Gregor has led the Labour Party in the | Senate for the- past four years. Four of the | new Ministers are Protectionists and three are Freetraders. A taneeting of the Deakin and Reid parties j will be held this afternoon prior to th© I House assembling^ and, until after that j meeting has taken place, nothing will be ] definitely known as to what attitude it is intended to assume towards the Governi ment. Both leaders are reticent. Mr Deakin, referring to rumours that an attempt would be made to defeat the Government to-day, declared that he would not countenance such a move. The Government should be given an opportunity to submit . a policy, and until that time no attempt should be made to turn the Ministry out of i office. ! Mr Reid declined to say anything, reserv- ; ing himself till the House meets. i Many rumours are current regarding . a p'robable coalition, but first of all the rival claims of Mr Deakin. and Mr Reid for the i leadership have to be settled. Much will j depend on the meeting of the respective pari ties this afternoon, and developments are ! watched with interest. i There is likely to .be a contest over the ! sitting accommodation. Mr Deakin persists that he is the leader of the Opposition, and: intends to occupy the front Opposition benches.