FRASER CABINET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 May 1940, Page 5

FRASER CABINET

FORMAL RESIGNATION REAPPOINTMENT OF SAME PERSONNEL. CHANGES IN ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIOS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. The resignations ol.' liimself <iii(l his colleagues as members of the temporary Ministry which was confirmed in office following the death of the late Kt Hon 31. •I. Savage were tendered by the Prime Minister, the Hon P. Fraser, when he was received in audience by the Governor-General at Government House yesterday afternoon. Mr. Fraser also submitted his proposals for a new Government. His Excellency verbally accepted the resignations and approved of Mr. Fraser’s proposals for the formation of a Government. Later Mr. Fraser and his colleagues were sworn in at Government House. Because of his illness the Hon. W. Lee Martin was unable to attend at Government House, and he has been confirmed as a member of the Executive Council and in the office of Minister of Agriculture till such time as he has recovered and can be sworn in. The personnel of Cabinet is unchanged, but several of the portfolios have been reallocated. The appointments of Ministers were published in a Gazette extraordinary issued last night. The list of Minister, with their portfolios and departments, is as follows: — MR. P. FRASER: Prime Minister, Minister in charge of Broadcasting, Legislative, Electoral, Audit, High Commissioner’s and Police Departments. MR. W. NASH: Minister of Finance. Minister of Customs, Minister of Stamp Duties, Minister of Marketing. Minister in charge of Land and Income Tax, Public Service Superannuation, and Census and Statistics Departments. MR. D. G. SULLIVAN: Minister of Industries and Commerce, Minister of Supply, Minister of Railways, and Minister in charge of Scientific and Industrial Research Department. MR. H. G. R. MASON: Minister of Education, Attorney-General, Minister of Justice, Minister in charge of Prisons Department, Public Trust and Patents Offices. MR. H. T. ARMSTRONG: Minister of Health, Minister in charge of Mental Hospitals Department, Minister in charge of Housing and State Advances. MR. R. SEMPLE: Minister of Public Works, Minister in charge of Roads and Public Buildings, Minister of Transport, Minister of Marine, and Minister in charge of Inspection of Machinery. MR. W. E. PARRY: Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Social Security, Minister in charge of RegistrarGeneral’s Office. MR. P. C. WEBB: Minister of Labour, Minister of Mines, Postmaster-Gener-al and Minister of Telegraphs, Minister in charge of Printing and Stationery Department. MR. F. JONES: Minister of Defence, and Minister in charge of War Pensions. MR. W. LEE MARTIN: Minister of Agriculture, Minister in charge of Friendly Societies and National Provident Fund Departments. MR. F. LANGSTONE: Minister of Lands, Commissioner of State Forests, Minister of External Affairs, Native Minister. Minister for the Cook Islands, Minister in charge of Native Trust and’ Valuation Departments, Land for Settlements, SceneryPreservation and Tourist and Health Resorts. MR. D. WILSON: Minister if Immigration, Minister of Manpower. Minister in charge of Government Life Insurance and State Fire Insurance Departments, Loader of the Legislative Council. MINISTERS SWORN IN GOVERNMENT HOUSE REPORT. i (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. The following statement was issued from Government House yesterday:— The Hon. P. Fraser was received in audience by the Governor-General yesterday afternoon, when the Prime Minister handed to his Excellency the resignations of himself and his colleagues in their capacity as members of the Executive Council and as holders of their respective Ministerial offices. His Excellency duly accepted the resignations, and approved of Mr. Fraser's proposals for the formation of a Government. Later in the afternoon Mr. Fraser was duly sworn in, after which he presented the members of the new Ministry to the Governor-General, who then administered to each the prescribed oaths of office. STATEMENT BY PREMIER REGRET AT RELINQUISHING PORTFOLIOS. EDUCATION AND HEALTH. WELLINGTON. This Day. In a statement to the Press last night, the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, said that the portfolios of Education. Health and Marine, as well as the charge of the Mental Hospitals, had been placed in very capable hands. It was with great reluctance that he was compelled by pressure of work to relinquish them, but in view of the additional duties occurring through the war situation it was quite impossible for him to carry out efficiently’ the Ministerial administration of such important departments with such extensive operations. Mr. Fraser said he wished to express his appreciation of the very many requests he had received from education boards and other educational governing authorities, from school committees. parents' associations, teachers' organisations and from many’ individual teachers and others interested in education. that he should remain Minister of Education. In normal circumstances he would most certainly’ have endeavoured to continue his direct personal association with the many* activi-

ties of the Education Department, and it was only the fact that he was forced to the conclusion that he could not possibly continue to do justice to the position that compelled him reluctantly to give it up. The same remark applied to the position of Minister of Health. He thanked the hospital boards which had urged his retention of the portfolio for their expressions of goodwill. He could assure all those who arc connected in any capacity with the important work of Education and Health, Mental Hospitals. and Marine, that the Ministers appointed to control those departments were just as keenly interested as he, and that as good or even better results would be obtained under their direction. Mr. Fraser said that he would like to take this opportunity- of thanking all public bodies, departmental officers and private individuals who had extended their help and co-operation to him in his Ministerial work during the last four and a half years. He regretted that he had not been able to follow the example of Mr. Savage and assume the portfolios of Native Affairs, Cook Islands and External-Affairs, but it was quite impossible in the present circumstances. The Hon. F. Langstone brought both experience and sympathetic insight to the administration of these positions.

In announcing the formation of his temporary Cabinet, now reconstituted, the Prime Minister stated that the question of appointing one or two new Ministers will be considered al the next caucus of the Labour Party. For some time past the Government has had under its consideration the problem of postwar restoration, particularly the rehabilitation of returned soldiers, on which a comprehensive inquiry and report has already been made. A subcommittee of Cabinet has been set up. and when the necessary regulations are framed a Minister will be deputed to direct and administer a permanent organisation.