THE NEW MINISTERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 400, 8 January 1909, Page 5

THE NEW MINISTERS.

SOME CRITICISMS. WAS MR. M'COWAN SQUEEZED OUT 9 : THE NORTH ANGRY. Tho now Ministers were settling down to their new responsibilities yesterday. - Cabinet meotings.wore..held during tho morning ; - and .afternoon.. Private secretaries were appointed, rooms were' assigned- to tho new Ministers, and tho work of removing and . sottling-in was begun; . ' ,The Hon. T, Mackenzie, Minister for Industries- and -Commence, left' by' after■noon train for Palmerston North, accom- - oanied by the Hon.- J. Carroll and-.the Hon. ,J.:'.A. Millar,' in..'order'.'' that ;<i' meeting, of tiio Executive Council might be held, with the Governor presiding, for-the , purpose of swearing-in Mr. Mackenzie. Thoy will bo in town again to-day. ... Mr. Olivor Mewhinnoy, who was formcrly a private seorotary for ■ • fourteen yars; first to tho late Sir John M'Kenzie, and afterwards to tho Hon. R. M'Nab, is relinquishing the chief clerkship of the Land purchase Oflice, to become private secretary to tho Hon. A. W. Hogg, Minister for Labour and Customs. Mr. 0., E.-Matthews, who has been private secretary to the Hon. J. M'Gowan throughout his Ministerial-career,-'has become privati secretary to the Hon. -R. M'Kcnzie.' Mr. J. W. Black, who acted in'that capacity for the Hon. R. M'Nab, has takon up the private secretaryship to the Hon. D. Buddo; while Mr. Lionel E. Johnson, who was also .with tho Hon, ;R. M'Nab, goes to the Hon.T. Mackenzie. ~No private secretary 'has - yet been assigned to tho Hon, A. T. Ngata. The other Miuisters will retain their present staffs.' ; Tho new Ministor for Railways (Hon. J. ; A. Millar) is. moving into the offices' in -the Railway Building formerly : occupiedi'! by the , V Hon. W. Hall-Jones, and 'the Ministerial l.rooms' in the .'Customs Building,.will bo the . headquarters, of the Hon; A. W. Hogg, ! Minister for Labour and Minister for Customs. Tho Hon. R. M'Kenzie will enter ... into possession of tho offico of tho Hon, J. i M'Gowan,' iu-the Government. Bqildings'j and the Hon. ,T; Mackenzie, is already; making ; I himself at homo in ." the Ministerial resid- | ence in. Molesworth Street,. The Hon. D; - i Buddo is at present a sojourner in a . room , - ! near tho Prime Minister's office in tho Departmental Buildings, but his official quarters will probably be those adjoining the . Dopartment of Intornal. Affairs in tho same building, and occupied' until last session by the Hon.' Dr, Findlay.: , .• .' -.-'! THE THAMES VACANCY, ."-v.C-V,:--— —.-VV;U; CHANCES OF AN OPPOTjONIST. , QUARTZOPOLIS RESENTFUL, • / .'■ (BY TEDEGBAPZI- 6PECUL CORRESPONDENT.) Auckland, January 7. . • The reconsfcniotion' .'of., the -.Cabinet hai .. : created anything but ■■ a good impressioni iu' : ';;; ; ; Auckland. On all hands tho greatest dissatisfaction is expressod,. and the surprising .retirement, of Mri- M'Gowan'; and; the .consequent' loss; of a Minister 'to Anokland has > created the greatest consternation v v At the Thames disappointment is mixed with indignation. . It is freely surmised : that ■ Mr. • M'Gowan has been "squeezed out," and-thero-. is very • little - doubt - but - that if an Oppositionist stands he will be elected to the Thames seat, in the .prosont i temper,of. the.:' constitu- '~ ienoy. > Visitors. fromvThames .to Auokland : to- >. day are very bitter, and indicate that Mr. •M'Gowan will.be looked to for an explanation . of ' his resignation.; 'The mining community is 'by ■no Imeans 1 satisfied- with the appoint- - ; ment ofMr.VR'.; M'Konzie to: the folio,-and gonorallv speaking the feeling is t-hat Sir Joseph; Ward; has, by his unsatisfaotory- selection, dnven anothor nail into his own political coffin. (The only name.menitionod'so far in connection with the Thames vacancy-is that of Mr, Aloo. Burns, Mayoir • who 13 a'Government supporter, but an Op positionist is oortain to como out. 1 POSSIBLE CANDIDATES. * pJT Ir.LSOB*Pn—PEI3S ASSOCIATIOK.) ■■■■'' Auckland, January 7. . ..Mossrs'.'.A. Burns (Mayor .oFThames) and ■:E.. Deebl6. (who stood' at "last, general eleo- : tions) are said to bo already in the field for •tho--Thames-seat:?. Othorsvmontioned as pro«. bablo candidates aro R. T. Douglas (a former Mayor of Thames), H. H. Adams - (a well-known mining man), F. H. Haseldea ! (one, of the Ohincmuri candidates at last elec- . tioni, - alid iWm'. • M.'Cullough; (of the Thames > . ."Star"). ; . ; ; 1;.;. •; Ti:e suggestion that Mr. M'Nab may oon- ' test! the Thames' seat is discredited in certain usually well-informed circles, in' Wellington.'■ THE LANDS PORTFOLIO. A RUMOUR DENIED. • : The "Hastings Standard," writing before. \ the now appointments to> - the Cabinet were;; .announced, said: —"As regards': the HawkoV , 'Bay l seat,: it is; well known that tho question - of Mr. Dillon retiring in favour of the late . •Minister for Lands has been fully considered, but ' what' decision has been arrived at .haa, - boem carefully from <-the vprcss, --and wo- kio.W' nothing .further'of, tlio matter .than., that a ;month ago wo woro privately informed •, that Mr. Dillon's aotkm. 'would bo. such as would further, raise him in tho estimation of ' his supporters. Having this,m view,.it,pill . ■not siirprso us to hear that -ope of - the pro- " 'sent membersi of tho Cabinet; will hold- the Lands portfolio until such;. time as . Air. . M'Nab reenters . the Parliament of the , 00 .-When -thifi mattjer. was mentioned to.4be .- >- Primo Minister last night by a Dominion ;reporter,-? he repliedYou'-may safely discredit that rumour.'; The matter, of ..appoint- . . ine Mr. Dillon to tho Upper House has not iboen boforo. mo, and I do not. think such a • step 'is likely to be taken.' -' -. "A COUNTRY MINISTRY." ■ TRYING-TO PUNISH THE LABOUR ;; i PARTY. I'- ■ ' (Dt ' IKLSaRAPfc-rUKSS ; ASSaCIVTIOiI.),, Dunadin,' January 7. I Mr Arnold,' M.P., looks on tho now Minis-,. t r yas boing more ot.a country Ministry.than ' New Zealand has had for;a long tune, and . I thinks the towns and cities liavo just,'cause t for complaint. ."One thing is very clear," ho added. "Tho Government is either trying to punish tho Labour party for its inde'pendont aotion, or else is. riding for. a,fall,. ... as far as that party is concerned." He it disappointed at Mr. Millar not retaining thf ■ . I Labour portfolio; ' Dr.,- Findlay's:a.ssumntion .. of Justice is, ho thinks, - likely •;to • lead -to considerable early reforms,i.beneficial alike to the police and -prison , semeo, > ;, MR. NGATA AND THE YOUNC MAORI PARTY. HIS DEPARTMENTS A SURPRISE. • {b j . TJjtEGBArH—SPECIAL CORBESI'ONfiENT.) Napier, January 7. The Hon. A. T. Ngata, ono of tho newly, appointed members of tho Ward Ministry,- ' passed through Napier te-dav'"by tho Mo koia. 'en route for Wollmgton. Mot by i •" Daily Telegraph " reporter, _ tho newlyfledged member of'the Eseoutive was asked. to express an opinion upon the latest phase .- of tho political situation ,in tho Dominion. Mr.-Ngata-refused to bo drayrn. In explaining his,own position. Mr. Ngata saidt""'You- soo vl cannot iccactly, say any. ;. ... thing, because, .the position of. affairs is new ; to me.; The other Ministers, havo beon in Wellington, and probably know what? was expected. I havo been up-in Gisborne, and the first intimation that' .I...received, of my appoint-mont was by telegram yestoPday. I understood that I was to receive tho position ? formerly held in tho Cabinot by the Hon. Mr. Carroll, but .I did not know that the other Departments wore to bo. given to me. That''l.'should-.'bei-givea'chargft-of'the Publio ? " ; Trust 'and- Government; Insurance.and' Acci- ' TiCTrranca..Disparimeiitß cama.as.«. cob*

pleto surprise, and I-do not care to express <; * an opinion on my position until I know ex- • actly whero I stand." .' Asked if his appoihtmont might not ho. s. T <v.taken as a tribute to the Young; Maori party, ■ ", i! Mr. Ngata Baid he was exceedingly gratifiod that he had been appointed .to tho charge of tho Maori Councils,, as tho formation of those I-..: bodies'was the result of 'efforts- made by the ■ ;To Aute 'Students' Association, of which ho was ; a member./' Mr. v Ngata ;expressed his ploasure m general terms at : tho constitution ; of tho Cabinot and' of: the ; new. men. Ho casually.mentioned, that Mr. Hogg's;business ability should fit him: for tho positions to .y;,-which: ho had; been-appointed. _ \ ;Tho,reporter .ventured tho opinion that tho ; « Hon. Mr. Buddo; was tho' surprise packet of -.wi tho-Cabinet; but.Mr.- Ngata, while chatting ; . pleasantly,-showed a-desire to keep .his-opin-.;!r < ions ■to himsolf l :until .'he •• had ( made himself . ...I.:, thoroughly acquainted with*.tho position.' ■ .■.■■.'.-jj:.' ; Tho Hon. Mr. Ngata proceeded" to: Wel- • 'lington by tho. Mokow. this afternoon. .;

MR. HOCC AS LABOUR MINISTER.

SOME CRITICISMS. (BI TEIEOBAPH—SPECIAL COIIEBSPONDEHT-} f.i-- . Dunedin, January :So far. as >I.Can learn;: tno Labour folk ; jiore aro truly-sorry to loso Mr; Millar as Minister of Labour, and 1 doubtful as to ; whether Mr. "Hogg is a wise appointment. ' .With tho employers, too, Mr. Hogg's appomtment is not popular.. "It is known;": S':-said a , leading ;employer; to-day, "that Sir. : ' Hogg's views are Socialistic in the extreme, . . and., at .the. present timo, which is perhaps one of the most critical in tho -annals of ; the : Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration ■Act, it requires a man with force of char- : actor,., strength : of mmd, and, 1 above : all; common-senso views. . The ' general opinion- . , is that, unless Mr. Hogg modifies'his views very considerably indeed, ho will fall foul of • - . the V employers before ho is a fortnight in . office,, and will probably find himself betweenvtwo fires—the Trades Unions on tho :: .'; - : one hand; -and the,'. Employers' Associations on the other." -■ • - . WHAT THE PAPERS SAY. LOUD COMPLAINT FROM THE NORTH. ' Comnionting on tho'new Cabinet,, the Auck-,,-land "Herald" .says:—"ls ■ anything -clearer than,that a determmation is shown-to keep ' . every _ one 'of the, great' spendingand '• adminvo!..? lstrative,. .Departments; of the. State- in : : - the w.hands of South:lsland representatives? Wo ,j. : - ; have: had to .rectify, Mr, Fowlds's " railway ' figures,',but will, anybody deny .that he would j - . make at least as good a Minister for Rail- ; ways, as Mr.- Miliar?And -is - thero noiwdy' in.;'-tho North -■ Island. as-' capable:'of • controlling public works as. Mr. ' Roderick M'Kenzio?. : And docs Sir Josepli Ward seriously ask us . t°. think that, he can';prop'erly administer ..... Lands as well ; as Finance, -Posts and Tolo- ■ i to-graphs, and Dofeiice? Sir - Joseph- Ward, " ~ Miliar, and Mr. Ro3onck.M'K.enzio confer f^J r 9j.;a 1 : worth-:.'coni ;new? Administration.'Looked - • secfcional^point . our vsouthem -y friehdsl ./are always'' de- ' .'•that: wo take,, t-ho - 'sole .-•ji-'iond obvious 'reason for Sir Joseph Ward s/taking .over, of - the Lands portfolio , is_, that it -wouid -hare -Ketn" too flagrant to five it to another South .Islander, and that* Ojras; not: willing • to.- let it' 'come to the : n , strong party claims; and Mr. Buddo likewisey but' it ls.undeniablo ' ~a , their places could bo,£lled without the: ' ">?, ? difficulty; '-It 1 cannot; be reasonably 7 held that the portfolios have been distributed .. among the best • members of tho party, and wo must therefore look "for' other than ~ national and patriotic considerations in. dis- - ■ cnssing - the arrangemerits / made. V-The new : f Cabmet bears unmistakable- traces:'"if; being', compromise^^^.by:-which,,Sir. Joseph ;Ward has., vS . ' 'groups ''fromS eacli 1 otter'e" r ,"t.bibb,tsjVind) to v satisfy: 3; sav? - ® claims of dangerous : and-' vigbrou'sly-led ? -'fell■ ?-,",^® ; ®pi n g''' :^^to-:^^"-that I^ -."tacit; Soutllihlsland by which, 1 ' wh'afevor t'liaJipeiiSj .the ?.spoils : -x)f v bffic6 ; >afe r©--Kiuth'-of : Cook' Strait;'' .'•■,: ft ;.!-,'Sonio day.wo a-Northjlslahd-'com-' : _! : ,' ( .:Pact ; and: a local- Auckland: group,,- but-'that : day -is very, evidently not yet'at hand;' 1 ' : y '''r'; ■ ' GOVERNMENT PAPER'S'

' ' Tho Auckland "Star" thinks that, on.'the I whole, tho may: bo.» satisfied with the way in which l Sir Joseph Ward has done., hisworkj ; pf.;-reM^ , adds, however—"But we must admit that . : . • the new Cabinet, is. open. to.criticism on.;two- «< . grounds—xho heavy . responsibilities • -.-"..v. heaped upon the Prime Master's shoulders.-: : . the -lack'. . for end. As to the first matter, we'must once, again . • urgo ujion Sir Joseph Ward;the nec6s.sity.for- ; : conserving his energy and avoiding that error ;• of monopolising Departmental work v/bicb has proved fatal to moro than ono of his most ; " . distinguished predecessors. Asto tho need -v:>-;''for'local. representation,?:there-is.-no:; getting, -)"-away. from-;the fact-that Mr.M'Gowjm's - ~->.placo -has' 1 not beon taken by an -Auckland ('. member,': and thatr noither lir. ' Carroll , nor S^Mr.-Ngata;is ; likely : ,to service in fv ; -.v^agaiiisfc : ''the: overwhelming.,weight of-'BOutheni .-'..-/••/•|%\nvalry.'. • 'From::.on* 'standpoint;:this -.is; cer-'-tainly. a .conspicuous. dcfect in. • tho new ft'y..::;;: .'.Cabinet,: and it will behove :our parliamentary' to .exercise: all the influenced > m .at their command to .uphold our rights and . to prevent our claims on Ministerial atteni 'tion from being overlooked."

f • " "TO PLACATE HUNGRY FOLLOWERS." . The Christchurch "Press" ?does 'not'.think i"', that w<j cannot say. t-haV-wo -think-that Sir L; : ' Joseph-Ward has -been happy in his; solution .V'iiiSof-an .'admittedly. dilßcult'problem.i'.^'He--,him- :

fe ; >:r)i ; ';BelfV^aid'recently.; 'that;his'^diflsculty : :;lay -in: the;fact ;that\there|VefeI'. ability froin whom -to • choose. -' ; We h should an examination", selection actually Tnade. ; ?■\sedm'i'that -Sir ! tion had sought to make up in quantity-for. | -....what tho material at his "disposal lacked in. ; . quality. . Except as . a-matter 'of 'party exi • , pediency, wo see absolutely no: excuse for in-. creasing 'the'" number .of Ministers': to ten. !v^ ; -';;iThfl\fact, that'the jiiicredse.: is; due to a' desire -. followers,; rather'thaii to i.an increase, in' Ministerial. work, is shown. : ■ ij: by. tho .distribution of portfolios. f. •' ' . With ' respect to Mr. NgataV., appoint-. !'' • ment, tho "Press" says tliat if Sir Joseph, [•-.- j . Ward-has come to tho conclusion arrived at: by the'public long ago,'he ;should:have had' [•- . .- .j. tho courage to. replace Mr. Carroll >by abet-' i%iV/f,lJer <man.;. :.• "We. entertain a,: very : hjgh. opip r •: I-'- "; t ':ton of Mr. Ngata's ability, •and.-:so far - as- | '. are. concerned, 'we .think his < ' promotion is . fully. earned,:;. Wo do . not think, however, that there is any justification ; for. includihfe^twq ; mSmbers'of the; Native; ; .■race, in'.the Cabinet. To give a Native popu- '' •. .'- lation 'of about ?40,000"twq ; repreknfctives in- - .'.-v..-- the Ministry is to give an undue preporiderance to-the Maoris in the Government of the

ivv.;-country.. Mr. It. M'Kenzio is a forcible do-. ! . •;.> bater, and a man of some natural, ability; it j : ; sHW-'; remains 't , o''be';seen' 'whether';ho'has sufficient ! - application ana will-power to make a sue-: !cessfulj-administrator.There. a;certain • • appropriateness in giving Mr. Hogg 'tlio ■ chargo of roads and bridges. . He has been: ;• ' conspicuous.among .the members who'h'ave' ;'.!Vv managed to. keep, themselves in .Parliament' i'' r--. : ...<Y'. oon gtttneiicT -in -the shape .of public , works •'\votcs. Probably Sir Joseph Ward had in his : mmd a', certain homely proverb, and' hopes with: tlio help of such: an old hand at the !: ■ '. game as Mr. Hogg to curb the rapacity of those who sit on. Ministers' doorsteps when

tho roads and bridges votes are in process of rv incubation. We are not aware,'however,: that' ..Mr-' Hogg has-.any special knowledge of" Üb-' v':s " v the'appo&tnient'iqf:a rural inemberi-' ; •■ ■ whoso experience and interests. arfl ■ essentiallv bucolic,' to the charge of so important i- , V..'j'; I : a''.])epartmißhi., : ss;'Cj^mß^Be^s''.' r at-'.'fii'st" f : sight as if.it must be intended as a prac-' tical joke. / : "■■■.■;■' "The one subject; of-which Mr. Hogg has , made a special! study—tho one With which ' ■ his nsmo is'usnally connected in the ''House F' ■'■ —is that of/lands. 'Sir; Joseph Ward, -hbir-- : ' ever, the .freehold .sentiment ."v prevailing/in tho House, ho simply, daro not < ■ ,v give the/portfolio of Lands to an.ouWnd-out : :"'' leaseholder liko -Mr. Hogg.He -has, there- - fore,: taken this portfolio- himself. Without i '""' any disresDect to: Sir Joseph Ward,: we .have do hesitation. in'. 6aying that he ;is: about as

well suited to tako charge of tho Lands and Agricultural Department as Mr. Hogg is to administer the Customs. Tho process of thus putting two'rohnd men into square holes will, not deceive the. public.. The land policy must be tho policy of the Government as' a whole, not merely of the Minister in charge of the .Department, .arid Mr. Hogg's inclusion in tho Cabinet has of necessity very much deepened and tokened its leasehold and land nationalisation taint.- The reconstruction of the-Government will not give much satisfactions to "the-! country, and it can hardly bo expected, to , please the Ministerial party as a whole.; - Some of them may not unreasonablyi'c'ome ito'the-conclusion that this is not the, Minis try A they, 'were .returned' to support."'-' NOT VIOLENTLY ENTHUSIASTIC. ; Tho '"Lyiitelton Times" (telegraphs' our Christchurch •: correspondent). is ■; • not violently: enthusiastic:..'- about- the '-new appointments, • "Wo at ; least... may. congratulate Sir . Joseph Ward,'' it:. says,. "on 'having the task of reconstructing his Midistry' off. his: hands, but he must not imagine that, his, troubles i are- yet all over.' There are . already,, murmurings among the members: of .his own party, and wo shall-not be surprised if some of the disappointed as-' pirants for;'offico. develop a. considerable measure of independence. For ourselves,- wo think that Sir Joseph has dono fairly well in the. circumstances, and that this will , bo ; the -.ultimate. verdict, of the country. : It would be absurd to say that the strongest man available has been selected for every portfolio,' bub! unfortunately' in politics .the ; strongest man is 'not always the most suitable man!" ."Of Mr. Hogg, .the '.'Times'-', says: "He is better known in tho North Island .than he/'is in the'other,-, but ho is such -a thorough-going Radical : that' his appointment onght to reassure those good people in. this part of tho country who have been alarmed by tho. talk pf ,'political. rest.' ; Ho, will be : subject'to a .very .'searching comparison in succeeding Mr. Millar as Minister for Labour, ibut we -have: little "doubt that, , with tho 'for'mer;holder of the portfolio l at his.elbow, lie - will^be' able to surmount the numerous difficulties by.which tho: oftice'is beset. He at ' anyrate will ■: approach' his task with an enthusiasm and sympathy; and' a very earnest desire™to succeed.'', -,;' 1

V" "Mr., Buddo owes his appointment mainly .fact that'.he represents a.countiy .con-, stituehcy'in a-province-'that has'some claims upon the Government,'but ho has done such, good ;work; as a.private member of the Hduse of llcpresentatives, and as a member of numerous local bodies, that there is every reason ■ to.'-hope-that: he will.soon provide a broader. I justification' for his; preferment.. Mr.' T. Mac-' .kenzie'silong'estraiigementyfrom the' Liberal party, has not prevented receiving ii very :prompt recognition, of his 1 undoubted ability ion- .his':, ret.urn to: "the fold, arid, wo aro satisfied that his. spccial knowledge of commerce Sand agriculture; will he "of great. value .to the 'Governmeht and toJthe country. : His promotion Ministerial rank without , any pay suggests ;t.hat. the-, Prime 1 Minister intends to ask Parliament -to :make' provision' for an additional- ■ Minister. ! Mr.'■-.Ngata.'has been given adminis'trative responsibilities which are ' a fitting tribute, tp.-his .earnestness and ability. There -will .beisome difference of. opinion' about thepropriety. ,of .-;i. Sir Joseph Ward iolding - the arid.;Agricultnre,',but we : presumej.that this willvbo* only a temporary. ;afrarigemen^,; : rand that in the meantime' Mr. -T. VMackenzip.; will give ; some assistance in ;th9'- ; admiriistratio'n of'thq Department of A'g;riculture;:..-- Auckland is. le'vidently. sore : at- tne .-.loss:of a.Miriister, and-we wish oursolve's that' .it Vad-been'..found, possible to admit' .Mr., Baiiine to.ihe Cabinet,:but its' grievance must ;be,'aftsritdl)' only a, transitory oiie, and. we 'are public -come; to" re.view the whole position they will realise that ;the Prime' Minister,-has mado an 'lionest at-' tempt .to .solve .very difficult problem." .'