FEDERAL POLITICS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 July 1926, Page 4

FEDERAL POLITICS

CABINET RESHUFFLES. SYDNEY, July 25. The outstanding event of the week in Federal politics has been tho reshuf--11 ling of portfolios in the Cabinet. As the result of these. Senator G. F. Pearce (Nationalist) formerly Minister for Home and Territories, becomes Vice-President of tbc Executive Council, and Leader of the Government in the Senate, his portfolio being taken by Senator Sir AVilliam Glasgow {Nationalist), of Queensland. Air T. Paterson (Country Party), of Victoria, becomes Minister for Markets and Migration, instead of Senator Sir Victor Wilson, of South Australia. Mr L. Atkinson, of Tasmania, a Country Party member drops oat of the Cabinet. Senator Wilson’s resignation was a forced one. as he was defeated at the elections in November last, and bis term expires on June JOtli. The surprise was Senator Pearce’s relinquishment of ttie Ho’me and Territories Department, this being an indication that this political veteran, who has had a remarkable run of Ministerial offices since 1914, has his eye on the chairmanship of the Northern Territory Commission, for the provision of which he lias been largely responsible. The negotiations for the reshuffle, which were rendered somewhat delicate by the- relations of the Pact parties— Nationalist and Country—and their representation in the Cabinet, were in progress for several months. One of the difficulties was the fetish that each State should have a representative in tho Cabinet. This has been dropped in the newly-arranged Cabinet, as neither South Australia nor Tasmania now has a representative. There was also the larger question of the representation of the two Government parties. Tiiis question was accentuated when the Country Party wished to have a Country Party member appointed instead of Sir Victor Wilson, who, though elected in 19-17 on the country Party ticket, split with his colleagues, did not attend their Party meetings, and was finally ousted mainly because of the bitter Country Party opposition against him at the polls. This incensed Hie Nationalists, who after all won the day. as a Nationalist Senator filled Senator Wilson’s place, while a Country Party man filled a vacancy caused by a Country-itc dropping out of the Cabinet. THE NEW MINISTERS.

The new Minister for Markets and Migration (Mr T. Paterson) will hold the mare interest for New Zealanders, as he is the author of the Paterson butter stabilisation scheme, under which as from January Ist last, an export bounty is paid oil butter out of the proceeds of higher charges to Australian consumers. ITo was horn at Birmingham. England, of Scottish parents, and after returning to Scotland, as a hoy. emigrated to Australia as a young man in 1908. He is now in his 44th year. He has lived in Victoria since the year of his arrival, being cilgaed in farming, mainly grazing, about 40 miles north of Melbourne. FTe was elected to the House of Representatives as member for Ginpslaiul in 1922. in which year he was also president of th" Victorian Farmers’ Union. Sir William Glasgow, who was horn in IS7G, comes of a family of graziers in Queensland. ITo was elected to the Senate in 1919. and again returned at tho elections in November. lie has bail a distinguished military career, both in tbc South Africa!) and late wars. He served with the Light Horse in Gallipoli, and was given comma ml of the 13th Infantry Brigade in 1916. Barer be bad command of tho Ist Australian Division, and was made a Major-General in June. 1918.