THE NEW CABINET.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 399, 7 January 1909, Page 6

THE NEW CABINET.

I - i , , ~ 9 ' [ k LIBERAL INFUSION OP FRESH BLOOD. p , t " * > r MR. M'GOWAN. RETIRES. t ' x ; ■■ ' |. FIVE NEW MINISTERS AND THEIR RECORDS. [ " t | The following is the Ministry as rearranged by the Prime Minister {the Right Hon. j>. Sir J. G. Ward), in consequence of recent resignations of Ministers:— [ . Right Hon. SIR J. G. WARD, P.C., K.C.M>G., • 1 Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Postmaster-General, and Minister of | Telegraphs, Defehce, Lands, and Agriculture,' Minister in Charge of Lands j~ for Settlement, Land and Income Tax, Advertising, and Electoral Departj- ' ments. " , , t ■ ■ Hon. J. CARROLL, | Native Minister, Minister for Stamps and Deeds, Minister In Charge ef f " ' , Advances to Settlers Department and Cook Islands. 1' . ■ Hon. J. A. MILLAR, t Minister for Railways, Minister for Marine, Minister In Charge of Friendly j , - Societies, and Minister in Charge of Inspection of Machinery Department., ... ! Hon. G. FOWLDS, ! Minister for Education, Minister for Immigration, Minister in Charge of ' Hospitals and Charitable Aid, Mental Hospitals, and Firo Insurance DepartI ' . * ment. f • 1 Hon. Dr. FINDLAY, \ ' , 'Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, and Minister in Chargo of Crown ; f ' Law Department.' i !• Hon. R. M'KENZIE, ' ' t- Minister for Public Woi;ks and Minister for Mines. i Hon. A. W. HOGG, f - Minister for Labour, Minister for Customs, Minister for Roads and Bridges, j-', and Minister in Charge of Government Printing Office. i * Hon. D. BUDDO, ■ - i ' Minister for Internal Affairs, Minister .for Publlo, Health, Minister, in f Chargo of Valuation Department, Minister in Charge of Old Age Pensions. ; . Hon. T. MACKENZIE, 'r Minister for Industries and Commerce, Minister in Charge of Tourist De- , partment, Scenery Department, and Forestry Department. 1 Hon. A. T.' NGATA, i- __ Member of Executive representing the Native Race, Minister in Charge of f \ Public Trust Office, Government Insurance, and Government Accident In- [ ■' surance, and Maori Councils. V t \ t / I'/ i '

EFFECT OF THE REARRANGEMENT

• UNSALARIED MINISTERS.

M CABINET OF NINE, AN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OP TEN. 1 "Jssterday was an important date in .the storj ■of New, Zealand politics. •• The reconSBtnicioh. ■ .of.' tnp.Ministiy; ned6ssitat«d hy : the';: - resignations ttf the Hon. :W. Hall-Jones and the Hoi. R. M'Nab (consequent upon tho acceptanci of the , High Commissionership •by /■/the': on&and • the other* at .the general feeotioris) was consummated .with all • due form ' Another .vacancy, in the . Cabinet wiij- created by the resignation of the .-- Hon. J.-M*}owan, ; which only took-placo.yes;-r terday. ..HewilE; be: appointed to a seat-.in -.the Legislate Council. - - Theio were thus three empty seats in the Cabinet, and they. have been filled by the appointment 01 Messrs. it. M'KenziOj.A. W. Hogg, and D. Juddo. :In addition to these, however, Mr. _ Ihoiias • Mackenzio has also ..joined the with, full Ministerial rank, ■ but without salar; and Mr. A. T. Ngata has' been given a seafjom the Executive Council . as; a. representative of; the Maori' race.v /. He vifenoj;. a memberofihe >Cabinet, but has-been given charge of. oerain, Departments. ! i ; Mr..Ngata's .positim >on* the ' Executive,;is .: i analogous to that onty occupied by the Hon; ; J.- Carroll,: and; afterwards 1 for a short time : by, the Hon. Mr. Malfita), , though l the' lastnamed did not hold any v other. administrative .. office.: . The appointment 0f- Maori members of the Executivo carries, jvith it, under statu- : . tory authority,. a-salary,.:# - £400 r' a-, year. .. Thereo are thus five new members -of-the Executive Council. ■:, > 1 R. M'KENTKE, A. W. HOC?, D. BUDDO, \ ( T. MACKENZIE, A. T. NCATA V \ • The Executive Council hasvbetn( increased : ; from, eight to ten members; this being the ; full; number: allowed by. the :law;'"-.The Cabinet has been increased, from eighth-members . to nine, but the law only permits oiipalaries being paid to eight.

Changes in Portfolios. The. new Ministers-have, not simply\taken up the portfolios .relinquished' by-.thos&who >.;• have resigned office; -There; has' ■re i .'■ • ■ arrangement involving the giving up ■ oJ, onO' : .or more portfolios by four out l of-thecvfive -Ministers who are:continuing iniofßce.-Ti'us the-Prime. Minister parts with, the direct eta-•«;«->trol- of -the'.Friendlyi Societies: Department. : Advances, to SettlersyOld'Age Pensions', arit- ; : - - Public Trust Office.: t The Hon; J. A.. Millar v gives up - the portfolios of Labour ajidtoms, and tho Hon.-G. Fowlds that of-Pub-: lie Health; while-the Hon.-Dr. Fmdlay-yields to other'liands the control , of the -Internal . Affairs - and: Insurance' Departments., ,;;i ■

t The SwoarJng-ln. . A meeting,ofrthe;Execujiiyo. Council -was: ;i at r the vice-regal •v. office in Molosworth .- Street;; his. Excollency tlio Governor (Lord Plunket) presiding. . Messrs.. Roderick M'Kenzie, Alexander Wilson -Hera,.and David Buddo wore sworn m :•■■■■ as members of the-Executive, and took the ; oath of allegiance to his :Majesty,tho ,Kmg.: •, ■. v Me'ssrs. Thomas Mackenzie ,'and A;, T.: 'Ngata l - will arrive-in Wellington to-morrow; - and will ' bo sworh'in.at;'W^first.bpporttriity.--; : Tlievn6w:. v . Ministers - will take up their duties at once,' : and the first meeting of the new. Cabinet . will bo. held to-day. There will not be a full : attendanco' as.-tho Hon. G. Fowlds and the Hon. Dr. Fmdlay loft for-tho;-south .' lastnight. ' PRIME MINISTER INTERVIEWED. : A "STRONG COMBINATION." WHY HE TAKES LANDS PORTFOLIO. , The 'Primo Minister; was' interviewed yesterday afternoon by a representative- of The | Dominion. .. While /commenting freely, upon ■ the now appointments, ho declined say i whether , -tney/. portended' any modification , of ; tho policy of the Government; "Anything I may-have to say on that aspect of the. matter/' he stated,: "I intend to reserve for: ; a- policy speech, which 1 shall probably dc- ■ ■■-• liver af no very-distant date. ■'■"The Ministry,"- he continued, "will, I think, be regarded on tho whole as a strong' . combination." : ■' -V-'; I'vK:\ The New Personnel. ■ v Speaking of tho new Ministers, the Prime Minister characterised Mr. R. M'Kenzie asa strong man; of' large experience in public works and mining- matters. He looked forward with confidence to seeing those twogreat Departments, under his practical administration, being managed for tho general benefit of tho community; "Mr. Hogg," continued the Prime Minister, - 'Ms not only a very old member of tho party,; but lie isValso a manofvery wido.experieiice,; and endowed, with great practical commonsense. His Departments ofiL'abour,- Customs,: Roads and Bridges aro in some: respects Very- ; difficult to administer, but I' 'am'.' .certain.

i that: he' will carry': out the duties attaching; i'ttf/ithem.. in the. best -intprests:of the people./ His knowledge-of tho printing business is such as to. fully justify the Printing . Office being placed /under -his control."_ /■ - ' Mr. Buddo and Mr. : T..Mackenzie,were bothcharacterised by.the.Prime Minister as men :ofi wide b^erience, I .and lie, anticipated .good' ;results" from■ their/ admiriistrative work!,, ' ./'/In regardto the unsalaried position of Mr. T.* Mackenzie, the PrimeMmister explained jthat -ithere/'TOS-no/ legislative/'authbrity/for: :the.'payment of a salary to a' ninth member, I of ; i the ' Ministry. :> 'Asked whether the:' case: ;would be:met :by placing a. 'sum:' bn tho .Estimates year by year, he replied, in the negative; •-./ . - • ; '/-/;.., ; ; : V' - r Mr. Ngata's Appointment. 'The appointment of Mr. Ngata .to represent tho Maori race on,the-Executive will, I .believoj . giye, . wide,.satisfaction," said tlici Ifremi'er. r." He is a highly-educated man, !orie whose/instincts.lead him along the;rieht: j $id. :jurisdiptioriiiiwill[.ensure, great activity:; arid: vigour: bbing. appljerj ..in that branch.-.0f.. the/ •:wprfc ; !'of ..the His '. training''as a ;rawyer-,/mll.;help-bim:greatly,i jtb'e.importani work■: of. ..the, Publjc'] ; Trust ;Office, which.deals;not .only with' Europeans',, but .wi|h .many, diverse interests closely con-nect^-,with ; i'p "Naturally," Sir Joseph added, "I should haV6: -liked i to' : Have, been able- to",appoint : somo .of, the-Mother.', recognised able members: of.' the/ party,; but :',tli^re.:is' the', limitation: of : numbers. - I : recognised' all along that the position was a very difficult one, and I have endea'voiired ..to /do the/ best ' possible, both interests,/of the: country ;arid„'of/.the' important ,party' of which I : am the head.", r /The.. Prime Minister also spoke" of; the/ changes ',in; of the former Mini-; stprs /wbo' are cpntinuing in ofßce. Ho had ;uecided,c .''sooni)'-aftpr].,the election,- that, it would . -be-jnepessary - for liim ; t'o;: hold the portfolios,/of,/Lands and Agriculture on: the .principle/that, vwh6ro tho most troublo existedj-. the head of. tho -Admimstration should be;directly>in charge.: Mr. v Carrollfs-familK. - questions would be of great: assistance/an .the administration of tho Cook -Islands, and.- Mr. Millar, as Minister for .Railways, would..sboiv tho strength, and ability/.that .had- marked his eontrol of other .'./• :Mr.. - Eowlds had. dono such work :as;tO; justify jconfidence in his future adminiatration'of.the important Departments of, Immigration iand-.lnsurance. It was proper, and.-.in .the ( interests of the country, that/ .the/;:tvhole of the . legal and; justice Departments r should bo;.under ono/control, and it ; would-be recognised that: in: giving them' to, Dr.- Findlay . they: had been placed in' capable hands. i

: i-- His Retiring Colleague. Sir Joseph Ward-expressed great regret at the severance of the Hon. J. M'Gowan from the Ministry.. He is a very old friend and talleateuo, and . he has earned tho personal all who have known him. But dtagjfrg -&nditjons,''call for . alterations '• ; grounds, , art greatly resetted.' , Mrv M'Gowan's l elevation to tho Upjier Houso is a well-earned" distinction at - wni6H ; . will ;'be able to cavil.: It is i ; unii4fiessary;;for. me. ,to . say that ho', parte-' fromtoyself , and , his' colleagues on the most ' .frienstor• -tijriiM;.'Cs?rft'<has.been''no unpleasantnesi of any sort or kind." '

'I.'-, u.or--rn—T-; —r- • NEW MINISTERS AND THEIR ' l t CAREERS. ♦

\HON. A. W. HOGG. The Hon.'A.i-W. Hogg was born in Glas-' gow (Scot-land)'in' 1845, and left school when 'twelye , .years of age; , For a year he .was ■ junior; dlerk;. -in, the Barrowfield . Dye-, works^'attendlhgrat..night-the Andersonian "TJniv'ersity.ln.lßsß,.- . with others' "of, ! ;his; family,; ;heV emigrated , to : . Victoria in a ! ship called Tho which proved so leaky/, and'-unseawnfth'y. that .-she. had to, be pumped night a'nd day by the passengeiß. He ..spent .some, . years assisting in; a store, gold-mining,; and in the Arran district., : Subsequently- he -saw a lot of life on , several , new ..rushes,, was mining.. ; legal manager, for a season, and then took up' ;■ .•litgraryjpursuits.,,.lpllß76 he .came, to .New i Zealand, became ,attached to a mining party, '. 'and',a:.'yeaclater icfjufed staff , of the Otago "Guardian," wtiwre. ho became one of .i'.unique and, powerful'tpress circle* that ' in- , icluded i'such: men : . as;.the late Mr. G. M. Reid, Mr. Montague Brown, Mr. James Oak- ; ley Brown, iMr.. Silas Spragg (chicf of the • Hansard .staff), Mr, J. M. Geddis,, and the I late. Mr. T.. Bracken, , One of. his first per-, formances was a descriptivo account of the • trip' of the TJ.S.S. Co.'s steamer Wanalta, : round the Sounds, this .being the -initial trip of tho kind mado by the company. After- - wards he had editorial, of;several • evening papers'in Dunedin. Proceeding to . Ashburton, he took literary charge of the .- ''Ashburton Mail,'! published by Mr. Joseph Ivess, and helped, in" "the face of a powerful : opposition, to'secUre^the-Ashburton seat for • Mr:'' E.';G.'--; Wright; From Ashburton • he • went to Tiniaru,'and-after eighteen.. months' hard-work extinguished an- Opposition paper r - that was-'running; the "South Canterbury :. Times"-.to'earth, ;

In 1884 ho eamo to Mastorton, and, in partnership with Mr. J. J. Smith, bought the "Wairarapa Star" from Mr. Ivess, cairying. on that journal with a fair amount of success until he entered Parliament in December, _1890._ He lias represented Masteiton during six Parliaments, receiving on every occasion good majorities over his opponents. His original electorate has become two electorates—Mastorton and Pahiatua. For litteen years be. was a member of the Wellington Land Board, and "for soveral years he was chairman of the -Masterton Hospital Trustees, only resigning after, a fine institution was erected free of debt. He is now a member of the Victoria College Council, tho. United Charitable Aid Board, the Wellington Benevolent Trustees, a Wellington School Commissioner, and for ten years lie has been a member of the Education Board. Ho was one of the originators and' active promoters of several special settlements, including the Masterton-Manga-hao or Ballance and Masterton Reform blocks. Tho roading of the bush, bridging of; its rivers, settlement of the people in prosperous homes; promotion of primary and secondary education, and the relief of tho poor and, the unfortunate are. things to which Mr. Hogg has devoted a great deal of his life. • •

. Our Masterton correspondent'telegraphed] last evening:—Mr. Hogg's appointment to,. Cabinet rank has' been popularly received on all sides here. : Ho returned .to ' Masterton from, Wellington by this evening's'train, arid Mas 1 sincei i been' deluged: with .congratulatory telegrams /from .various parts of the Dominion..' " Referring to. the / appointment,-'. the "Daily/: Times;",which;has been a strong supporter •!of'-!Mr.■ Hogg,. says:—''lf eighteen years of: strenuous, work as-a- parliamentar-ian,-and'loyal'adherence to'the Liberal/prin-cipleswhich-he' professed. when lie entered;the Hdiise in 1890,. do. not qualify him for his i present position, who can be said to : have'a claim to preferment? 'In this' electorate: the appointment 'will be' widely, popular: Every i small farmer in the: country districts and every porker in. town is a staunch friend. of !Mr. Hogg, - and will welcome: in his promotion;, a special recognition. of the .'needs of, both Ithe toiler on' the land and of the wageearner in centres. ,Mr./Hogg's ability: is. undoubted, and his loyalty to the best interests of all . who 'have an uphill battle to fight is. ;beyond question.. Wo wish him every success in/his'.new.positionj: arid sincerely trust ithat .he .will.'in.years .to come serve New,-Zea-land as' faithfully ,<as lie . has. in. .tho; [served his.electorate. The Prime is ■a .shrewd,judge,of men, and we may' take it. ' Wiftttjflfe cjvpfisiijg G Mr> j v.Hogg.; as one | colleagues hte.is doing .whafc•heibolievcs 1 to< : be. ibest'for;tho.go'od of ; N'ow [Zealand;!'. V.,; ■ /

HON R M'KENZIE AS MINER'AND CONTRACTOR. ,

■ In a-; Short'-'interview-'. accorded to' a representative of The. Douinion yosterday evening; tho Hon. R. M'Kenzie,: chairman of !Committees':'in tliei Jast Parliament,' and. tho. ,iievvi Minister . Ayorljs 'and for. ,;Mines, - expressed ' the opinion ' that. the new (Ministry .ivould be a strong.one, although:he could; not. say, .anything further in,.this, direction: In reply to a question as to tli'o prac!tical experience he had liad in the direction; of Public Works and Mines, Mti -M'Kenzie' ■stated -that he had had., a. .considerable ex'pe'rience 'in mining.' and •• engineering before and .since -he.came T to ' New Zealand .thirtyeight, He had; been -mining _;in Otago aivd was - afterwards occupied with ;publb: -works;. all -over the ; country. -During this timo he had .been, for a few -years, digging, on the ,West- Coast after the Kumara . rush, ' and ; h'ad; made a ' few:, visits' to' Auss tralia, two of which extended over a period, of, a, year. Ho had ~dono( contracting work in. various parts !of r ..the --, .Dominion, and amongst his contracts' .were: included tho building' of some of the sheds;on .the: middle :tee of the"'Wellington /Queen's; Wharf as far,' baclc'as 1885. .He: had also,built the Jervois :.Quay,'. Wharf,/and' was sub-contractor for ;.thoY 'first - BelpipntV- Viaduct,. The railway from Hokitika to. -Arahura.' and tho Arahura ■Bridge had also been constructed-'under his : eye, also tho bridgo. over the T'aipo. River,-. Canterbury.' -The ;Ngakawau railway bridge' was another of , his., works,', and at the' present time; he; ; Vas "engaged" in building a steel'bridge, over the Aorere River for. the Collingwood County Council--at & cost <if • between- £4000. and £5000.

Mr. R. M'Kenzio was born in Ross-shire, Scotland,' in 1852, and-educated at Glasgow. After two. years .at the engineering' trade lie emigrated to Canada, and in 1869 ho came to New Zealand. : Ho engaged in mining m Otago, and subsequently took up bridge building on the West Coast., He: first entered Parliament in 1893 as member for Buller, but on a readjustment of boundaries, he suctessfully contested Motuelca, and has sat for that; electorate ever since. : ; HON. D. BTJDDO. The Hon. I). Buddo, who has been appointed' Minister-for' Internal Affairs,' Minister for Public Health, Minister in charge of the Valuation Department, and Minister in charge of Old Age Pensions, arrived from tin? south yesterday morning... Seen by a Dominion reporter...at the. Hotel garding his appointment. to the Cabinet, Mr. Buddo replied that he had; nothing to say ou.the matter, uud he did-pot wieh

to speak of tho other appointments. Mr. Buddo added, however, . that lie. was immensely pleased with the prospects of the country at the present time, and ho believed we were on the eve of one of the most prosperous seasons yet experienced m the Dominion. "I have every confidence," continued tho newly-appointed Minister, "in the progress of tho country. There has been a rise m tho price of wool, and the crops in the South Island are .most, promising; we shall have more than the usual crops for fattening stock. There is ample food for stock, and this will enable a great deal of fattening to he done. All these things ■lead me to believe that a most prosperous season is in front of us." When asked for an opinion, on the Parliamentary work about to be undertaken, Mr. Buddo said that he did not see- there would.bo any alteration in policy; no doubt the best would be-done under the circumstances. Mr.. Bucldo will be in Wellington for a few days. Tho... hopes of his Canterbury supporters havo been set on Mr. D. Buddo as a possiblo now Cabinet Minister for some time past. With the interval of one-Parliament, that of 1896-1899, when- Mr. R-. Moore, his opponent m five elections,- held the seat, Mr: Buddo has represented Kaiapoi in the House from 1893 till the present time. -Ho has been for many years a steadfast Government supporter. , Mr. Buddo was born at Edinburgh in 1852, and educated at Kincardineshire. He came to New Zealand about the same time that he reached his majority, and ongaged successfully at farming in the Ellesmere district. .After a trip .to the Old World and America, he purchased his present Rangiora property, and entered Parliament as-member tor Kaiapoi in 1893, defeating Mr. Moore on that occasion by 87 votos. At tho last election the new Minister defeated his persistent Opposition opponent by 2724 votes to-2653. In the last Parliament he was a member of the Education, Petitions Classification,. and Agricultural, Pastoral, and Stock -Committees. . His experience on public bodies has been varied. He has been a member of the North Canterbury Education Board from 1897 to date, being chairman-for seven years, was chairman of .the Rangiora Road Board from' 1897 to 190 Q. member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board from 1897 to date, and is one of the North Canterbury School Commissioners. From 1901 to 1903 he was captain of the North Canterbury Mounted Rifles. On the land question Mr. Buddo does not think-that every: Crown tenant should have a statutory, .right to secure the freehold. They should be satisfied, ho holds, with their present power

■to'pay-off-up'to 00' cent, .of the value'of 'their holdings." . "IJour-fifths land of' .the Dominion;" -he? has statid,'•"is freehold,and tho remaining ,ione-fifth'should bo'; kept,' : ijptbe: interests of .tho. poor. man.!'.; • ,n> * ,-h;

HON. T. MACKENZIE

; Cabinet, rank has not come quickly to the Hon. JS.'- Mackenziefor; more than' twenty years he has Jbeen a member of New Zealand : Parliaments," - Untila: year ago he bad. the reputation of a' fearless freelance in . the House,'but during last recess he publicly announced ' ; that. he. had decided . to- join' the' Government camp. 'His reason for the decision was that it was time, in liis opinion, for moderate men to. stand together to oppose the demands of extreme Socialism; ; Mr. Mackenzie. ig- a vigorous- debater, ■ and - has been a" very popular member 'of the House.-; Re? cehtly, when the Hon.' WV P. Reeves "resigned the High Commissionersliip, 'a proportion of members! of■, tho House considered that Mr. Mackenzie would probably be asked to. fill the vacancy. On the land question, the now : Minister as a freeholder. ■V. ,

' HON. T. MACKENZIE, i ; .

, - Mr. Mackenzie was born' at Edinburgh, in 1854; : Coming to New Zealand as a child, he, was 'educated, at • Otago, .Public Schools, ■ and privately,, and in : 1887 was returned to Parliament as member .for Clutha. - He continued to represent -that constituency till 1896, and'since then ho; has sat as member for Waihemo, from 1900 to .1902, and Waikouaiti from 1902 till 1908. At the last election'he was returned .for Taibri against Mr. J. T. Johnson by a majority :of over "500 votes. '' ' < .Outside- of Parliament, Mr. Mackenzie has had a .varied and'important public career. In 1889 he was appointed a Government Commissioner ;to inquire : into the conditions of the produce trade in England. Again, from 18?6 till 1899, he was. in -England, 1 representing several colonial mercantile firms., - Later on his knowledge of- trade; was .valuable to him as a member of the Tariff Commission set'. .up.-, by the House of Representatives in .1894, and as chairman of tho Extension of Commerce Committee. . . . •',.• .

Education has also beeA a special interest of Mr. -Mackenzie's. ' He has been for many years : a member of' tho Otago' Education Board,- of which he is now' chairman. He has .also -served on the Otago Hifjh School' Board . of Governors, and in- 1901 ho. .wiis : a -member.; ' of' the'. New Zealand; Education Commission. 'Among other local positions, "Mr. ' Mackenzie has' served the public as Mayor of Roslyn,: and as a member; of the : Otago -Hospital' and

Charitable Aid Hoards and Hospital Trustees. Ho was appointed a Fellow of tlje, Colonial Institute in 1886, and a Governor of the Royal Imperial Institute in 1897; In 1888 lie represented New Zealand at the Sydney Centennial celebrations. As an explorer Mr. Mackenzie has a worthy record. As early as 1885 .he made pioneerjourneys into the wild West Ota'go. district,. He was associated with Quinton M'Kinnon when the latter discovered'the well-known M'Kinnon' Pass, and in 1888 ho had charge of a relief party that searched the Matterhqrn for Professor Mainwaring Brown, and discovered the pass between Lake Manapouri and Hall's Arm. Three passes were dis-. covered 1 by him later between Lake Manapouri. and .Dusky, Sound. .In. 1898' he.was made a Fellow of the Royal Geographical. Society. Land-surveying and',bush : farming' have also been among Mr. Mackenzie's many • interests. • ■ • ' . MR. A. T..NGATA. : The Hon. A. T. Ngata, the new representa-; tivo of the Native race in the' Executive, is only 34 years of ago, and lias had a very brilliant Career. • Born at Te Araroa, near : East Cape, in 1874, he received his first education at the Native village school at Waiomatatini. and, from ,1883, at Te Auto College. In 1890 his passed his matriculation examination, and went in 1891 to Canterbury College, attaining the same year his' B.A, degree, and narrowly missing the senior scholarship in;

political science.' In. 1894 he was articled to ,Mr. T. Cooper (now Mr.-Justice Cooper), of Dovore and Cooper, Auckland, ■; and the, aamo year passed his M. A. degree with honours in (Political science. .'Two years later he passed his final LL.B. examination, and was admitted in 1897 as a barrister and solicitor. His-appointment,. two' years■'■later/ as ling secretary, of the newly-formed To Auto Students'■/Association . (the ;Young Maori . Party) necessitated his abandonment of -.pracitice, and he set himself to improve. the knowledgesof the Maoris in respect-fto sanitation aud other matters. He,;also instituted communal sheep-farming'on the East. Coist, and did inuoh.to raise the condition;, of; his. tribei ;Frbm:;l9o2'till 1904 he was organising, inspector to the Maori Councils, .and ho was, elected, ,to, represent the. Eastern' Maori 'district Parliament' in 1904, bieng returned a second 'itime at 'the recent elections;-' He was. a mem-; !ber of the Royal Commission-appointed under the Native Land Act of 1904, and of tho iCommission sot,up in 1906: to investigate Te : (Aute and Wanganui trusts. Since then lie has done valuable-work as co-member with' Sir Robert Stout, of the : Native/Land Tenure Commission, and lie was secretary of the important Maori Congress held in-this oity last July. JOTTINGS. Apropos , of .th£ appointmentvof, a .Minister ;without a salary, ; ' Sir Joseph Ward , mentioned ito. a,Dominion,.reporter, that during:the..first, ■year ;tha't-he him self : held Ministerial office; ; lie did I 'nbt. draw any salary. ' The case was,' : from'-.'thatof'"'Mr. : ' T. Mackenzie) in&smiich' as the Salary was legally 'available;' biit "he declined; to accept: it,, having come into the Ministry somewhat re-' luctantly as Postmaster-Gfcnera], and pre■ferring to remain'in the south' instead 'of taking'up-his residence at tho'seat of Government. ':'-V -'• The appointment.of Mr.;R'. M'Kenzie to the Cabinet will make it'-.necessary for the House, to elect, a.-new Chairman of Committees. . It is highly . prob'able : that the choice will fall; upon Mr. T, M. Wilford. The two Deputy-Chairmen, Messrs. F. R. Flatman and W. T; Wood,/ .whose appointment -'in 1906 was .'an' ; Innovation, iwere -both - at the general election., ■ ; \ '■ ,'i/y •'Private secretaries'* for; the new 1 -Ministers' will be/appointed to-day.j -It,is already.decided . that; 'Mr. C.' ■!!. Matthews,-; who :: has been'private secretary for a number of yeaTs to the' Hon. J.' M'Gowan,- will ; be attached; in the same capacity to the Hon.'R. M'Kenzie.' It is remarkable .that, out ,ot' eight European members of the new Executive; no fewer than, six are. of. Scottish .blood.; /Messrs.' T.' Mackenzie and Buddo were .' .born .in Edinburgh,.-'; Mr.: Millar comes of a' Scottish .family,, and was educated in Edinburgh, . Mr.; Fowlds is an Ayrshire man, Mr. ,Rl-M'Ken-zie hails from, Ross-shire, and; Mr. - Hogg first : saw' the ' light .in Glasgow. Dr.. Findlay was born in the : Scottish'. atmosphere of Dunedin. ■'.

THE RETIRING MINISTER,

GRADUATED FROM THE "GOLDFIELDS.

•Tho.Hon. James M'Gowan has.represented the Thames electorate smce .1393. He- is ■ a native of Ireland, having been born in 1841 at. Maxwell's Court, County Down. He was educated under the national school system, and; when'about' fifteen,.years, of.'age,- his father dying,'.the boy set out to earn hisown living, at the. bakery trade. Ho followed .this occupation .until 23: years of age,' and" then,( having; saved sufficient money, he decided to. emigrate. :■ . In . the ship Liverpool; the future Minister, of the Crown ■ set. his. face towards the sunny south, and, early in the year. 1865, landed at Auckland. : Five years were spent in the northern city—fivo profitable years, as far as the.acquirement of knowledge! of colonial life was concerned, and then the young colonist removed to the Thames,' which was'-to be the . sce'ne .of hig future operations. Here for many years, ■ arid . was. prominent in matters of trade and ; .politics.-' He built up a large bakery trade, and added "th'a" business of. general storekeeper, conducting it.until 1897, when his retired.' During this time he took a prominent, part in local:affairs;"-'' He'served is a ( member' of the Hospital'.''Board,'.- as' Governor of "the High School j arid on the Borough' Couhcil, and 'was' several , .time's Mayor ' of the town.Seeking-yet' ; .higher! honours, he stood for Parliament in 1893,' and. was returned in the.'interests; of the Thames' and Coromandel' goldfields. Afterthree, years'' service he; was-elected a Liberal Whip,, and 'three, years later \vas appointed' Minister for Mines and Minister''for Justice. The' control of immigration ;was added in 1906, and during the' absence- bf 'the Hon. W. Hall-Jones he'was also given charge of the Public Works Department. Tho hon. gentleman ' is a hard and conscientious worker;' with considerable knowledge of the Departments which lie primarily represented. He is not an able speaker, Dut c'an make • a : good fighting speech when occasion required. . ' IMPORTANT INNOVATIONS: Although the Hon. J. -M'Gowaii • has not been "so prominently before; the public as some, other Ministers, he "has,'during his administration of ' the Departments of Justice .'-and. Mines, initiated a number of new departures,-some of which'are'of considerable impdrtance:-'- As Minister ' for- • Justice 1 he introduced the Habitual Criminals v and Offenders Act,, and the-Habitual Drunkards Act,? which - gavo tho judiciary largely increased, powers of ; dealing with - many very : difficult -casea. He -was : responsible for: .the,

drafting and framing of important regulations under these .Acts. .' The separate Courts for juvenile Affenders also owe their inauguration to him. In the oontrol of the prisons of the Dominion, Mr. M'Gowan; introduced several remarkable changes. Oiie of _ these—the establishment of the tree-planting camps —has been the'subject•'of much' discussion. In prison lifo generally hb has sought ;to. maintain good • behaviour amongst .the prisoners more Dy means of rewards and less by punishment- case.' He made an innovation in causing prisoners to be allowed to smoker provided that they were not' guilty of' iniiscbii&ftft..,' jlhis step provoked- some unfavourable but: recent official reports go to show that it has. proved to be a highly effective means/of securing good many* men, dread tlie'lo'ssof the.right 'to smoke 'more than any other form of punishment. . ; _ The opening of the State cbal mines has been the most, prominent feature of the Hon. Mr. M'Gowari's . control; of- the. Mines De-, partment. Another important ;step was the establishment , of the geblogical ;suryey on -a comprehensive basis, under Dr. Bell, resulting, .so .far, .in the pubiicationjof. six'valuable bulletins, covering. different :• sections •- of the country. He; was also- responsible; for .the eight 1 hours 'bank-to-barik.clauses, iri'the Mining arid Coal-mines Acts, ? arid > the . allowance of a stated-period'for'. .''crib'^ 'time in coal 'mines; additional > protection .to prospectors iarid.substantial increases of.the. subsidies for prospecting; the reduction of the .fees. ,for limners! rights; . the..encouragement of .deep, level.mining bythe purchase of the ThamesHauraki pump and the granting, of . subsidies 'for .boring and deep sinking.. With the- object .of encouraging the introduction of capital,-, the area • that" may be. granted under 'a mineral prospecting warrant was increasedto. 10,000 acres-. .. ■ ; ... ' Other matters set down -to the credit. of 'the .retiring^'Minister.'are ''as.'.follow:—More labour conditi'dris;tbVprey;ent\large 'areas- of. mining, land, being lpcked,up j hetter provision. for.; payment of compensation'to. .workers in, mines j: improvement ,in ; ; titles - to' business' and residence sites in mining districts ;'. protection of tributers-by, providing that' no -tributes shall b'e payable until the miner's oarnings exceed £2 a week; provi-. sion. for., inspection; of,, mine's, by .workers' representatives ;. and, appointment of three additional Inspectors, of Mines..' . . . ..' ' REASONS FOR: RETIRING. " TO GIVE SOMEBODY ELSE A SHOW." . A It would havo. been ridiculous to ask .the Hon. James M'Gowan if his retirement from the; Ministry and, appointments to a. seat .in the Upper House was due to the state of ihis . .health.' •: Mr. M'Gowan, jvho is ahyays well' and. vigorous, ". never: look Mi.better "or more active than . when reporter called upon him", yesterday afternoon., Ho was still. seated at; his . familiar table : ifi' the Government Buildings, - and official papers were passing ,:'•,. .':. "Iv am retiring '.to givo somebody else a' show," he said. Beyond that,, he.did not bare' to; talk, about' his..resignation', but, he., gave'the reporter to understand that ha had acted; freely in .'the'-.matter. He was ..not so much; attached to. 'ihe. sWefits , of office' "as to, be 'unable to enjoy, life ~iil a compara-.-. lively private capacity; Hi?.-'rather. thought; he .would ;HYe\ih"WelUngt'oh'"iri7the future, and, ho looked forivard ; : to. .having a' good time.'' - -''v '. ' ".v, 5 "I have been in the House since 1891," said the retiring Minister, " and I have been nine years - in;; the; Ministry,-,,.-.;I ' have had charge of .many important, measuresy some; of Which have been o£(great Benefit -to the miners . and other . clashes,': hut ">l'm; not,;.prepared: just rioiv..to .go ; irito":history. 7 I have b'een member for Thames all tlie' time! have been in; Parliament, and iny /constituents were the first to be informed of my resignation.": '. ."v. "■ ■ j.' V'-'.l At' this point Mr.'-M'Gowari placed his liarid'on a; pile of telegrams: "These'have 1 come frbm ; tne' Thames.:this 'afternoon.' They; are asking me to.-continueto-be'their member, but my decision is final." t •' >

THE OATH. The oath taken hy -thW-'iiew t m^mb l ei's t 'of the Exedutive is as Mow's;— "■

I, —; r—:, being chosen : andiadmit-. ted of the Executive;.'Council.in.;New. Zeathat I'will,-to,th6 best of my •judgxnent, ;.at 'tal|l" l tint^",ir]i^''i^ei^tp:.V re?; quire'd,' freely give .iriyaCounseV arid advice to the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, or Officer; Admiriiste'ring/. the'.. Goveriiment. of;■ New Zealand, for the time/being;...for the -good management of tho affairs of New Zealand:, That ! will not directly or indireotly rev.eal such matters as shall be de"b'ate3 in Council "and "committed .;to. my. secrecy,; but that I will, in all things be a true and -faithful. Councillor. So help me God.

They are also required to take the oath of allegiance as follows: —; ' . ' • -1",

I, • : : —, do -"swear that I will be faithful .'arid /bear' trae allegiance to his Majesty King-Edward the Seventh,- his heirs and successors, according to law. So help mo God. ■ . ■

, The oaths'; are administered ;by the Governor, in .'the presence.: dfL the ;• (.Executive Council, and'.with the- Clerk of the Council(Mr. Alexander Willis) as a witness to the signatures'.. The ceremony took-place, at , the vice-regal headquarters,in Moleswcidih: Street; yesterday afternoon. ■'''•.■-■ , THE THAMES SEAT. A POSSIBILITY-MR. M'NAB. After Mr. M'Nab's defeat for , the Mat-' aura seat"in for Lands' stated-that ho would contest-the first vacancy;', that offered, but would :hot- allow any member to stand dojvn \for the purpose of-giving him an opportunity rto regain his seat in ' Parliament. The'; flrst>4vacancy has arrived, in the resignation J of i the' Hon.: Mr. M'Gowan, and-the question.now ifnses: Will' Mr. M'Nab. contest ..the 'Thames': seat?: ■. It is somewhat 'significant ;in:.this -.regard that ~in the."redistribution :of the portfojios the Prime Minister has. annexed othose.: of; Lands "and Agriculture lately held, by Mr.- M'Nab. The result. ,of the recent, election'at' the! Thames: was as'follows: — .V-,. V-:;. ::: ■•■: Hon J.' M'Gowan- (G.) > .... 2869 . E Deeble (I) 837 0. Mason (I) 291 F. W Isitt (P.) 120 : Majority -. ... 2032