MR. SHEAT LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS WORK AS UNDER-SECRETARY

Wanganui Chronicle, 13 December 1949, Page 7

MR. SHEAT LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS WORK AS UNDER-SECRETARY

HAWERA, Yesterday.—" The work of the new Government, which officially takes office at 11 o clock tomorrow morning, will begin to sort itself out in the next few days,” said Mr W. A. Sheat, M.P., wnen interviewed before his departure lor Wellington this afternoon.

While it was correct to say that the Government would be “making haste slowly,” there were many matters that required prompt attention if the Government was tu give the earliest possible effect to premises of the NaLional Party to its electors, said Mr Sheat. Following the swearing-in ot the Prime Minister-elect, Mr Holland, and his Ministers, the first official meeting of the new Cabinet would take place tomorrow afternoon and the first meeting of the Executive Council would be held on Wednesday. ’ Discussing his own selection for ap.pointment as Under-Secretary to the Minister of Public Works, Mr Sheat said that he was taken completely by surprise and looked forward to his new duties with keen anticipation. Mr W. S. Goosman had been allocated the portfolios of works, housing, hydro-electric power, transport and railways, civil aviation and marine—a big responsibility lor one man—and he had yet to discuss with Mr Goosman the nature of the assistance he would be expected to give him. Mr Sheat added that Mr Goosman in all probability would occupy the suite of offices vacated by Mr Semple, the outgoing Minister, and he (Mr Sheat) would be given one of the three nearby rooms that were available. As an Under-Secretary, his swearing-in to office would not be at Government House as in the case ol Mr Holland and his Cabinet, but before Cabinet itself, after which there would be a settling down process to be gone, through. NEW QUARTERS ALLOTTED Mr Sheat added that he expected to spend much more of his time in Wellington than previously, but with farming interests in the district and public business in his constituency to attend to, he would be returning to his home in Haweia at every possible week-end.

“The news was no sooner out about my appointment than people were getting in touch with me about my house,” oaid Mr Sheat. He was certain to be keeping up his domestic establishment in Hawera, and in this Way to keep faith with an undertaking given before he was first elected to Parliament that he would move his place of residence from Pili ama to settle in the electorate. The newly-appointed Minister of Lands,- Forests and Maori Affairs, Mr E. B. Corbett, has already informally met departmental heads who will come under his control after he is sworn in tomorrow. Mr Corbett intends early in the New Year to commence a tour of ihe Dominion from Southland north to acquaint himseli with the land problems associated with his portfolio of lands. As tar as is practicable, he will during this survey also gain a wider knowledge oi Maori affairs.

PROBLEMS OF POLICY “I intend to deal immediately with those policy problems that will present themselves when I am sworn in before going on tour,” he said at New Flymouth when interviewed. On Saturday Mr Corbett was waited on by a deputation of Maoris from the Atiawa and Taranaki tribes, who expressed pleasure at his appointment as Minister of Maori Affairs. Mr Corbett’s offices in Parliament will be the group at present occupied by the Minister of Lands, Mr C. F. Skinner. "The 'appointment came as a coninlete surprise,” commented Mr Coibett. “I went to Wellington with my little bag, expecting to stay only two days for the P art y conference, out I was roped in unexpectedly ” Mrs Corbett was also s ur P n se d . Seyeral yeais ago she wagered a neighbour that her husband would never reach Cab net rank, and she was promptly reminded of this on his appointment. inprize goes to the New Plymouth Boys High School.