THE NATIVE-BORN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1495, 18 July 1912, Page 4

THE NATIVE-BORN.

COMPOSITION OF THE MINISTRY. Speaking on Monday evening at a reception at.Lownr Hutt, Sir Jns. Carroll is reported to havo said that it was surprising that "the native-born'' did not take greater interest in the affairs of their own country, and assist in moulding the destinies of New Zealand. Commenting yesterday upon this' st.Dtenie.nt, the Hon. F. M. li. Fisher remarked that Sir .las. Carroll had evidently overlooked the fact, that five members of the present Ministry— Messrs. Bell, ! Rhodes, Herdmall, Dr. I'flnui.re, and Fisher—were all native-born New Zealtindcrs. In addition to this, Mr. Massey had resided in New Zealand for 42 jws, Mr. Allen and Mr. Ftosci' had each resided in New Zealand fOT 54 years, and Mr. Hemes had been in Now Zealand for 31 yearf. "1 think it is tho first time in tho history of Now Zealand," said Mr. Fisher, "that there has been a preponderance of tho native-born in the Cabinet, .a fact which, so far as I have been able to,see, has escaped the observation of n majority of tlie critics of the new Ministry. The day nuiy mm when we shall have a Cabinet of those 'who are New £<\iln«d born, but in the meantime I think the young New Zealand party ought to feel proud to knew that at nnv wife they havo secured n majority «.-f seats in tho present Efcutivc Council." "Perhaps," concluded Mr. l'i>h«r. "an indication as to the birth-placcf of tnft present Ministers may lx> of inUrcM. Mr. Xrasjev was born at Londonderry. Mr. Allen'in South Australia. Mr. Hemes in L-ondon, Mr. Fraser in India, Mr. Herdman in Dunediii, Mr. Bell. in Nelson, Mr. Rhcd.'s in Lyttelton, Dr. I'omare in Taranaki. and tnypelf in Wellington,