The Swearing-In Ceremony At Government House

Wanganui Chronicle, 14 December 1949, Page 5

The Swearing-In Ceremony At Government House

Promptly at 10.45 o’clock this morning the Prime Minister-elect, Mr. Holland, and members of his Cabinet left from the main steps of Parliament Buildings in beautifully fine weather for Government House for the swear-ipg-in ceremony of the new Ministry. There was a small crowd gathered at the foot of the steps, mainly wometi, who cheered and shouted, \Good ■luck” to Mr. Holland as he made his way to the car, which took him and his deputy, Mr. K. J. Holyoake, to the Governor-General. Mr. Holland’s car was a Humber, and it was followed by four which gleamed and glittered in the sunshine, and which carried the other members of the Cabinet. Most of the members of Cabinet wore plain suits, but a few, among them, Mr. Webb and Mr. Algie, wore formal dress —striped trousers and black coats. Mr. Holland was in morning dress. He was also accompanied by Mr. T. J. Sherrard, Clerk of the Executive Council. SIGNING OF WARRANTS Mr. Holland and his colleagues were met at Government House by the Governor-General’s staff and his aide* and were conducted to the Executive Council room, where Sir Bernard Freyberg greeted Mr. Holland, who introduced in turn to the Governor his colleagues. The warrant appointing Mr. Holland as a member of the Executive Council was signed, and then the warrant appointing him Prime Minister. Mr. Holland then took the Executive Councillor's oath and the oath of allegiance. He handed to the Governor-General his recommendation that his colleagues be ap-

pointed to the Executive Council, and they were then sworn in. It was not a very long ceremony, but was indeed a solemn occasion for the administrators of the new Government.

The Governor-General and Lady Freyberg entertained Mr. Holland and his colleagues to morning tea, after which photographs were taken and the Prime Minister and his Ministers later returned to Parliament Buildings.

When the new Ministry returned to Parliament Buildings shortly after mid-day, it assemble)! in the Prime Minister’s room and witnessed the swearing-in by the clerk of the Executive Council (Mr. Sherrard) of the two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries, Mr. W. A. Sheat and Mr. S. W. Smith. After he had disposed of several important matters in connection with the Executive Council, Mr. Holland met the Press.

In his first official statement as Prime Minister, he said; when he gave his impressions of the swearing-in ceremony at Government House: “No person could be present without being impressed as witnesses of a scene that might be termed democracy in action. Here was a representative of His Majesty the King putting into "operation the full procedures, associated with the desire of the people to change the Government. The Gover-nor-General said he hoped that he would have a successful administration. The Governor-General laid considerable emphasis on world affairs and conditions and hoped that the new administration would do all in its power to promote peace in the world and the welfare of mankind.”