Labour Cabinet Has Its Last Meeting

Chronicle (Levin), 6 December 1949, Page 7

Labour Cabinet Has Its Last Meeting

WELLINGTON, Dec. 5. A 11 Ministers were present at the final meeting of Cabinet this afternoon when the Labour Government made its linai administrative decisions of a routine flature before making way foi the ineoming Nationai Party administration. This will be followe^ by a iinai meeting of the present Execiitive Council at Government House tomorrow morning. ~The Cabinet meeting, over which the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, presided lasted exactly three hours. Early in'proceedings the business was interrupted to enable Press photographers to take photographs of the outgoing , Ministry seated at the Cabinet table. There was also a further break while afternoon tea was" served in the Cabinet room. . Most Ministers left the meeting with' a bundle of p'apers under their arms. ' ' 1 am sorry 1 have no news for you," said Mr Eraser to representatives of the Press who approached him as iie left the Cabinet room to return to his offiee. "We have just been dealing with routine rnattei's and elearing up everything. ' ' "We have just been elearing up tiw pot rubbish," was how one Minister deseribed the business dealt with by ■ Cabinet. The Minister of Health, Miss Howard, remarked as she returned to her offiee, that she could think of nothing better than lounging for every afternoon for the next six months in a hammock swung between two trees. However, she could see there would be njo opportunLty for that restful experienee. The Prime Minister was not in Parliament Buildings tonight but most oi the- other Ministers were in their offiees oontinuing with the task of elearing our drawers and pigeonholes in readiness for handing over to their" successors. His own resignation and those of his Ministers will be tendered to the Gov-ernor-General by the Prime Minister, , on Wednesday. No time has been iixed for the Prime Minister 's call at Gov ernment' House but it will probably bt in the afternoon. The Ministers will re sign their membership of the Exeeutive Council and also . the portfilios thev hold. " •