PORTFOLIOS GIVEN UP

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 184, 1 May 1940, Page 10

PORTFOLIOS GIVEN UP

Education, Health And Marine DEMANDS ON MR. FRASER’S TIME In a statement to the Press last night, the Prime Minister. Mr. Fraser.* said that Hie portfolios of Education. Health and Marine;. as well as the ebarge of the Mental Hospitals., bad been placed in very callable hands, it was with great reluctance that he wtts compelled by pressure of work to relinquish them. Lilt, in view of (lie additional duties occurring through the war situation it. was (tulle impossible for him to carry out efficiently the Ministerial administration of such important departments with such extensive operations. Mr. Fraser said lie wished to express his appreciation of the very many requests lie had received from education boards and other educational governing authorities, from school connnittees, parents' associations, teachers' organizations and from many individual teachers and others Interested in education. that he should remain Minister of Education. In normal circumstances lie would'most certainly have endeavoured to continue ills direct personal association with Gie many activities of the Education Department, and it was only Hit' fact that lie was forced to tlie conclusion that lie could not possibly continue to do justice to tlie position that compelled him reluctantly to give it up. Tlie same remark applied to tlie position of Minister of Health. He thanked tlie hospital boards which had urged his retention of I lie portfolio for their expressions of goodwill. He could assure all those who are connected in any capacity witli the important work of Education .and Health, Meatal Hospitals. and Marine, that the Mini-ters appointed to control those departments wore just as keenly interested as lie. and that as good proven better results would be obtained under their direction.

Mr. Fraser said that lie would like to take tliis opportunity of thanking all public bodies, departmental officers and private individuals who had extended their help anil co-operation to him in his Ministerial work during tlie last four and a half years. He regretted Unit lie had not been able to follow tlie example of Mr. Savage and assume the portfolios of Native Affairs. Cook Islands, and External Affairs, lint it was quite impossible in the present circumstances. Tlie Hon. I''. Langstone brought both experience and sympathetic insight to tlie administration of these positions

A motion eongratuliiting tlie Hon P. Fraser on liis succession to the Brittle .Ministership and wishing him evorv success was passed at the meeting of tlie Wellington Colleges Board of Governors yesterday.