OTTAWA MISSION

Waipa Post, Volume 44, Issue 3183, 28 May 1932, Page 5

OTTAWA MISSION

DOMINON’S DELEGATES. THREE MINISTERS GOING. The Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, issued the following statement on Thursday night:— During the past few months the Government has been devoting lengthy and careful consideration to the policy to be adopted by the Dominion at'the Imperial Economic Conference at Ottawa. They are now in a position to announce the personnel of the delegation and the general principles by which they will be guided. The delegation will consist of:— Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, Prime Minister; Rt Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Public Works and Employment; Hon. W. Downie Stewart, Minister of Finance and Customs. The New Zealand representatives will be accompanied by the following, who will be officially attached to the delegation in the capacity of ad-visers:-—Mr D. Jones, representing the Meat Producers’ Board; Mr W. Goodfellow, representing the Dairy Produce Board; Mr H. E. Napier, representing the Fruit Export Control Board and Fruit Growers’ Federation; Sir Francis Boys, representing the New Zealand Farmers’ Union; and a representative of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Association, who has not yet been nominated. The expenses of these advisers "will not, of course, be borne by the Government. ItTs possible other interests may wish to send representatives whose applications will be considered. THE ADVISERS. MEN PROMINENT IN PUBLIC LIFE. Mi* W. Goodfellow is the managing director of the New Zealand Co-op-erative Dairy Company, Ltd., the Challenge Phosphate Company, Ltd., Glen Afton Collieries, Ltd., and Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd. Mr D. Jones is chairman of the Meat Producers’ Board. He was three times president of the Canterbury Farmers’ Union. He was elected to Parliament in 1919, requesting, the Kaiapoi constituency. Sir Francis Boys is a director of the New Zealand Refrigerating Comr pany, Ltd., Christchurch, and has for many years been connected with the management of freezing companies and stock and station businesses. Mr H. E. Napier is manager of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation. No intimation has yet been given concerning the staff which will go to Ottawa, but it is almost certain that the Comptroller of Customs, Dr G. Craig, will be one of the experts included. Dr E. Marsden, Secretary of the Scientific and Industrial Research Department, is absent from work on account of illness; and it is unlikely that he will be able to leave New Zealand. A representative of the Industries and Commerce Department may be chosen, but the delegation will be kept as small as possible. ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIOS. MR RANSOM ACTING-PREMIER ? Important alterations will have to be made in the allocation of Cabinet portfolios during the absence in Canada of New Zealand’s delegation. It is expected that the Minister of Lands, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, will be acting-Prim© Minister, a position which he occupied while Mr Forbes was attending the Imperial Conference in London in 1930 as head of the United Administration. There is a possibility that the Minister of Education, the Hon. R. Masters, will take the portfolio of Finance from Ms* Stewart until his return. It is possible that the portfolio of Public Works will be allocated to Mr Ransom, who held that portfolio during the United Government’s term of office. The Postmaster-General, the Hon. A. Hamilton, who is also Minister of Labour, is mentioned as being likely to administer the portfolio of Employment until Mr Coates returns. DR G. CRAIG ALSO TO GO. (By Telefirranh- Press Association.} WELLINGTON, Friday. In reply to a question to-day, the Prim© Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, said he was unable to indicate the reallocation of Ministerial portfolios, and additional staff to" the personnel of the Ottawa Conference delegation, as these matters had not yet been considered by the Cabinet. He stated that Dr G. Craig, Comptroller of Customs, would definitely accompany the delegation to Ottawa.