MR. BARCLAY’S POST

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 15, 13 October 1943, Page 4

MR. BARCLAY’S POST

Mr. Morgan Williams Mentioned Dominion Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH. October 12. The possibility of Mr. C. Morgan Williams being appointed to the vacancy in the Cabinet caused by the defeat of the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Barclay, is being discussed by Labour Party circles in Canterbury. . Ordinarily, tlie next in line for Cabinet rank would l be Mr. A. G. Osborne, who stands well with the party and is considered to have done good work during the absence from New Zealand of the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones. He is one of the two Parliamentary Undersecretaries to the Prime Minister. However. as the vacant position is that of Minister of Agriculture, it is thought more likely that it will go to one of the farmer members of the party. The three of these -mentioned' as possible -Ministers are Messrs. Williams, E. L. Cullen (Hawke’s Bay) and B. Roberts (Wairarapa). Mr. Roberts is a strong contender for the portfolio, but, in view of the difficulty Ministers of Agriculture have in holding their seats, it is against him that he holds liis by only a narrow margin. Mr. Cullen, on the other hand, won his seat handsomely. The Government has already shown confidence in him by his appointment to the Rehabilitation Board. Mr. ■Williams’ independence of thought may handicap him in the selection, but a bigger handicap would probably be that his appointment would give the South Island, nine of the 15 Labour Ministers. Two possibilities which may come before caucus are the appointment of a man holding a city seat as Minister of Agriculture to avoid jeopardizing his prospects at the next general election and the relieving of the Minister of Agriculture of marketing. This was previously administered by the Minister, of Finance. Excluding Mr. Hamilton (South Island) and Mr. IL. C. Perry ('North Island), whose appointments are only to the War Cabinet, there are 15 members of the Executive Council, eight from the Sotuh -Island and seven (ineluding Mr. Barclay, whose resignation is expected soon) from the North Island. The -South Island members are Messrs. D. G. -Sullivan, IT. Jones, -P. Webb, A. 11. Nordmeyer, J. O’Brien. C. F. -Skinner, A. McLagan. and E. T. Tirikatene. The six from the North Island, other than Mr. Barclay, are Messrs. P. Fraser, W. Nash, R. Semple, H. G. iR. Mason, W. E. Parry and D. Wilson.