NEW PRIME MINISTER

Hokitika Guardian, 15 May 1925, Page 2

NEW PRIME MINISTER

Sill F. 1). BELL TO ACT. (IV TKI.KQUAPII —l*ltl:S3 ASSN., COP’CHIGUT. WELLINGTON. .May 11. Aftei the conclusion ol the funeral 'disc piles to-day, the Hon Sir Francis Diilou Bill waited oil His Excellency tin- Governor-General and was duly sworn in as Prime .Minister. The new Prime Minister, on his return to Pa ilia uieiii lluii.-c. issued the billowed statement to tin- press:

•■Mr Massey had for many years In-11 an unquestioned supremacy in llie Government, and in In- Party within and without the walls id Parliament. Fulil his health recently so seriously failed, it became evident that his rei-oveiv was hupele-s. no question had ever arisen n! a successor to his place, and theme forward, so long aliis life lasted, discussion of that question was silenced hv common consent. The death of the Prime .Minister, though it doc- not automatically terminate tl.e actual t'-natv of the other members of the Government and the Executive Council, creates at ollce the right. and indeed tie- duty ol the Crown in England. or the representative of the Crown in a Dominion to call upon some person to laKe that oilier, the holder of which lias special' constitutional functions and duties. I'nti! the members of the partv in the 1 louse of 11 epreseiilafives, which had placed the Ministry in imwer. mhilil lie duly consulted, and tlieniselves chouse their own leader, it was mil possible for Ills Excel loiiev to select, or for Ministers nl their advice was asked) to come to Ills Excellency and propose a member of the oartv who should t,v the 0.-inaiim . -in O, i,tl. iiiuilK take Mr Massey’s pla.-e a- lea-ler and

head of the Government. ”l!is Ext .'-Henry was i, lease-! to cnliimunivalc with n-e. and to accept mi advice that tin- surviving members of the Government sliouhl, lor the | r cut. be continued in their respective offices, lli- Ext clleney was also pleased to appoint me to lie Prime Minister, and. so. to continue tl.e oflieial duties which I have recently, as oil various previous occasions, b.-eli called upon to undertake during Mr Ma-«ey's lifelime. 'ill - Olliers of .Minister ol Finance and .Minister ol Stainn Dutiew ere held hv Air Massey, and lave l.e----1-0- vacant I-.- In- death. His Excellency has heeli |i!eased to appoin! tile lion. William No-worthy to both nihees.”

"A meeting of those mendiei's of the lloii.se ol |{i-preseHtativi-s who liave sii])|„,i'ted Mr Massey's Government dun’ll" tie- present Parliament will be convened at a very eailv date. and that in-,.tine will lie asked to elioo-e

a party leader in tin- lloii i- and in tbe , oiuury. I will then t-nder to 11 is Exeellemy the resionatioii of the Government. and if His Excellency thinks tit to thi ll ask my advice, 1 shall be ill a position to sneak luntidentiy mi behalf of the party, and to name the leader to whom it is desired that the duty of forming a new Reform Government should he entrusted,"