SIR J. G. WARD'S CABINET

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17582, 11 December 1928, Page 8

SIR J. G. WARD'S CABINET

SIR JOSEPH G. WARD. Sir Joseph Ward, P.G., K.C.M.G., LL D the new Premier and Finance Minister, is 72 years of age. He is a native of Victoria, being born at Emerald Hill, Melbourne, on April 26, 1856 his father being a merchant. He was educated in private and State schools in Melbourne and Bluff, comins to New Zealand as a lad with his parents He entered the service of the Post and Telegraph Department as a lad of 13, but left the service to join the staff in a merchant's office. When »0 years of age he entered the Railway Department, but a year later he starte i in business as an export merchant. He served on various local bodies in Southland. In 1887 he contested the \\varua seat for the House of Representatives as a Liberal, and, being elected, thereafter took a prominent part in'the political affairs of the Dominion. He was Colonial Secretary in the Scddon Ministry, 1893-96. lie also held several other portfolios, and on three occasions acted as Prime Minister during the absence from New Zealand of Mr R. -I- Scddon. He was the first Minister of Public Health in the world, and held the portfolio from 1900 to 1906. He was the first to advocate the establishment of an All-Red cable service, and it was duo to his earnest advocacy that' penny post was first established in the Dominion, this fa.-L receiving special recognition by his appointment as K.C.M.G., 1901. He visited London and raised a special loan at 3 per cent, (the first time in the history of Australasian finance) to finance the Advances to Settlers office which was initiated by him. He repre sented New Zealand at the Postal Conierence in Sydney, 1892, Brisbane 1893, Wellington 1894, llobart lSt'ii anil Rome 1896, where his advocacy of universal penny postage secured much support. During his absence in Rome Mr Scddon died, and oh his return to New • Zealand he assumed office as Prime Minister. He represented New Zealand at the Imperial Conferences, 1907 and 1911, and in the former year secured the recognition of New Zealand as a Dominion. In 1909 he, on behalf of New Zealand, offered the Imperial Government one of the necessary two battle cruisers—a step which won great plaudits for the Dominion. The Ward Government was defeated on a no-confidence motion in February, 1912, and was followed by the Massey administration. In the war period a \'ation:il Government was formed and Sir .1. G. Ward held the portfolio of Finance from 1915-19 and with Mv .Massey attended several war conferences hi London. In the general election in 1919 he was defeated for Awarua, a seat which he had held continuously since 1887, by Mr J. H. Hamilton. On the death of Sir W. H. Herries, in 1923, he contested the byelection for the Tauranga scat, but was defeated by Mr G. E. Macmillan, but at the last general election he was returned for Invcrcargill. He has not since been identified with any party, but has acted purely as an Independent. In his younger days Sir Joseph was a keen volunteer, and for 12 years was captain of a naval corps. He is a director in many public companies. HON. G. W. FORBES. Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, has been an enthusiastic Liberal all his life, having been a keen supporter of the late Mr George Laurcnson, when that Liberal first won the Lyttelton seat. Mr Forbes was born at Lyttelton, and was educated at the Public School there and at the Christ-church Boys' High School. He was in business in Lyttelton, but when the Cheviot Estate came into the hands of the Liberal Government, under the Land and Income Tax Act, he was in the ballot for sections, and was fortunate enough to draw an exceptionally good one. He not only has proved a good farmer, but also has taken a lively interest in all public affairs in the settlement, where he still lives. He imbibed principles of Liberalism from Mr Laurenson. H-: was defeated in his first attempt to win the Ilurunui scat in 190-2. In 1908 he polled 205 G against Mr O. F. Clothier's 1356, Mr G. D. Greenwood's 509, and Mr G. T. Puliy's 309. A second ballot gave him a substantial majority. He has represented Ilurunui ever since. He was Liberal Whip from 1912 until his election as Leader of the Opposition. As a member of a Land Commission which visited all parts of New Zealand ia 1905 he was able to study the practical working of fhe land laws, and he is one [of the soundest authorities on land legislation. In his younger days he was a representative' footballer an r i oarsman. He was elected leader of the Nationalist Party prior to the last election, and held the position until the Nationalists joined forces with the United Party a few months before the election. HON. E. A. RANSOM. Hon. E. A. Ransom, Public Works, is a prominent sheepfariner in ihe Pahiatua district, where he has resided for i 0 years. As a Liberal Mr Hansom was returned to Parliament for Pahiatua in 1922 and held the seat under the Nationalist banner in J 925. During the 1925-28 Parliament he acted as one of the party's whips, and on the amalgamation of the Nationalists with the United group was appointed deputy-leader of the United Party for the North Island. He is a New Zealander by birth, being 60 years of age. He has an excellent record of service on various public bodies. THE HON. T. M. WILFORD. The Hon. T. M. Wilford (the new Minister of Justice and Defence), pos-. scsses one of the longest records of continuous service among the present personnel of the House of Representatives, having been a member since 1899. He was born in Wellington in 1870, and was educated at Christ's College, Canterbury, being admitted to the Bar in 1891. He served on the Wellington Harbour Board and City Council. Mr Wilford is well known in sporting circles, and a prominent racehorse owner. In 1909 and 1910 Mr Wilford made a notably good Chairman of Committees, lie held the portfolios of Justice, Stamp Duties and Marine in the : last two years of the National Cabinet, relinquishing them in 1919. After the defeat of Sir Josenh Ward in

THE NEW MINISTERS ALLOTMENT OF PORTFOLIOS CAREERS OF THE MINISTERS.

that year and the death of the Hon. W. 1). S. Macdonald in 1920, he became Leader of the Opposition. In 192"), shortly alter the name of " National Party " was adopted, his health broke down, and he was ordered to take a trip abroad. HON. W. A. VEITCH. Hon. W. A. Veitch is a Scotsman, born at Port Menteath, Perthshire, in 1870. He was educated by his father, a primary school teacher, and came to New Zealand at the age of 17. He joined the railway service and rose to the rank of cnginedrivcr. From the beginning he look a keen interest in the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and held almost every oflice it had to bestow, up to that, of Dominion president. He was returned to Parliament for Wanganui in 1911 and has held the seat continuously for 17 years. He subscribes himself as a Liberal supporter of the United Party, of whose organisation be was elected president in September, 1928, when the leadership of the new political group was given to Sir Joseph Ward. HON. W. B. TAVERNER. [ Hon. W. B. Tavcrncr (Railways Seri vice and Customs) received part of bis education at the (Javersham school and the remainder in Australia, where his parents resided for a few years. He returned to JJunedin more than 30 years ago. Mr Taverner is a public accountant, and has carried on business in Dunedin for many years. He has a fine record of public service as a member of numerous local bodies and organisations. THE HON. SIR APIRANA NGATA. The Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata (Native Affairs) has a record of 23 years' Parliamentary service as member for Eastern Maori, and three years as a Minister of the Crown under the WarJ administration. Sir Apirana has played a leading part in the public life of New Zealand for the past 20 years. He has been one of the foremost in promoting among the .Maori people the gospel of industry and emphasising Hie need for the adoption of the .Maori and European methods of sanitation and agriculture. Born at Kawakawa, Te Araroa, near East Cape, on July 31, 187-i, Sir Apirana was enrolled at Te Aute College in J 883, and matriculated at the age of 10. Continuing his studies at Canterbury College, Sir Apiraaa gained his B.A. degree in 1893, bis M.A. in 1394 and his L.L.B. two years later and in 189 7 was admitted as a barrister and solicitor. The general election of 1905 saw Sir Apirana returned to the House of Representatives for the Eastern Maori seat, the electorate he has since represented continuously to the present day. In January, 1909, he was appointed to th t Ward Ministry as a member of the Executive Council representing the native race. This position he held until the resignation of the Ward Government in 1912. Subsequently he maintained a virtually independent position in the House, speaking only upon matters affecting his race. Of recent years Sir Apirana has been the pivot of a new movement among the younger natives in the North Island to fjster self-help. He received tut honour of Knighthood last June. HON. J. B. DONALD. « Hon. J. B. Donald, PostmasterGeneral and Minister of Telegraphs, is a well-known Auckland business man. An Aucklander by birth, Mr Donald is the second son of the late Mr A. B. Donald, who many years ago founded the firm of Donald and Edenborougti, merchants and Island traders. He entered his father's business on completing his education at old Queen's College, carried on by Pie late Dr. A. MacArthur, S.M., in Upper Ouecn Street, and has been associated with the firm of A. B Donald, Ltd., for 30 years, being at present managing director, lie is 48 years of age. HON. H. ATMORE. Hon. 11. Atmore (Education) has sat in Parliament since 1911, except for the five years from 1914 to 1919. He has been in general a supporter of the original Liberal Party and its successors, but not to the extent of formal allegiance. lie was born in Nelson in 1870 and after leaving the public school there was apprenticed to the signwriting trade. He was first elected to the House in 1911, was defeated in 191 i, but recovered the seat at the 1919 election, and has since held it. He is an incisive speaker and on many occasions he has made lone-handed attacks upon the Labour Party's doctrines and programme, denouncing both with a vigour which has brought equally strong reprisals. He is a bachelor. HON. P. A. DE LA PERRELLE. Hon. P. A. de la Pcrrelle, Minister of Internal Affairs, was born at Arrowtown, Otago, in 1873, and was educated at the Arrowtown school. At the agi-. of 21 years he purchased the Lake County Press, becoming editor and proprietor. In 1912 Mr de la Perrelle bought the Winton Record, of which he is still editor and proprietor. He has served on the Arrowtown Borough Council, the Southland Education Board (of which he has been chairman), and the Lake County A. and P. Association (of which he was the founder). Air de la Perrelle has also been the Lake County representative on the Southland Hospital Board and a director of the Winton A. and P. Association. He at one time held the rank of captain in the Southland Mounted Rifles. He was appointed a justice of the peace at the age of 23 years. Mr de la Pcrrelle has previously represented Awarua in Parlia- j ment, but was defeated at the 1925 election by Mr J. R. Hamilton by 220 votes. ~~—w~~"».»n. next column.)

HON. J. G. COBBE. Hon. John G. Cobbc, Minister of Marine, was born in the King's County, Ireland, where his family had been engaged in extensive farming operalions for a long period. He was educated in Tullamore and Dublin, and after coming to New Zealand he settled in Peildir.g, and was managing director of John Cobbc, Ltd., until his retirement in 1919. Since that date Mi Cobbe has devoted greater attention to his considerable sheep farming interests in the Wanganui River district. He was the flrst president of the Pending Chamber of Commerce, an oflice lie filled on several subsequent occasions, and was also the inaugural president of the Fellding A. and P. Association, again acting in tiiat capacity in 1923 and 1924. For some years he has been chairman of directors of the Feilding Farmers' Freezing Company, Ltd., and Manawatu representative on the Wellington Harbour Board, of which he has been chairman since May, 1927. Mr Cobbe is also chairman ol the Harbour Boards Association of New Zealand. Cricket is the msin sport he is interested in. Mr Cobbe has not previously sought parliamentary honours. HON. A. J. STALLWORTHY. Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, Minister of Health, is the eldest son of the late Mr John Stallworthy, formerly Liberal member for Kaipara. Mr A. J. Stallworthy was born in Auckland, ana accompanied his parents to the Northern Wairoa as a boy. Four years ago he sold out his business of the Northern Advertiser, of which h»> was editor-proprietor, and came to Auckland to rejoin his children attending the Auckland University College. In the north Mr Stallworthy was known as a versatile platform speaker, a preacher in the Evangelical churches, and an enthusiast in local and general politics. He was an original member of tne Hobson Electric Power Board. L,ast year he was elected io the Auckland City Council, and his social and public interests include membership of the New Zealand Tourist League, Pie Young Citizens' League, and the Auckland Play and Recreation Association. He is honorary organise? of the Auckland Band of Hope Union, and a member of a special commitiee set up by tiji; Justice Department under the Inebriates Institutions Act. lie is also president of the Auckland branch of the Protestant Political Association. HON. T. K. SIDEY. Hon. T. K. Sidey (Attorney-General and, Leader of the Legislative Council), resigned his seal, Dunedin South, this year after 27 years' service in the House of Representatives. Born in Cavcrsham in 1803, the son of an early settler, he was educated at Otago Boys' High School and Otago University, and he was admitted to the Bar at the age of 20. Since then he lias held public positions of many kinds almost continuously, and Dunedin has no citizen more respected. He was elected to Parliament in the Liberal interest in 1901. Throughout New Zealand Mr Sidey is known as the chief • advocate of daylight saving. UNITED PARTY CAUCUS. NOTHLNG FOR PUBLICATION. STATEMENT THIS AFTERNOON. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Members of the United Party met in caucus this morning. Nothing is available for publication, i but it is understood that Sir Joseph Ward acquainted members of the j party of the nature of the statement he I proposed to make this afternoon. 1