POLITICAL

Hokitika Guardian, 27 May 1932, Page 5

POLITICAL

CABINET CHANGES

DURING OTTAWA CONFERENCE

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Ala y 26.

Important alterations will have to be made in allocation of the Cabinet portfolios during the absence in Canada of New Zealand’s delegation, Alossrs Forbes, Coates and Downie Stewart.

Jt is expected that the Minister of Lands, Mr Hansom, will be acting Prime Minister,- a position which he occupied while Mr Forbes was attend? mg the Imperial Conference in .London in 1930 as head of the United Party Administration.

There is the possibility that the Minister of Education, Hon. Mr Masters, M.L.C., will take over the Finance Ministry from Air Downie Stewart until his return. Air Masters has a sound knowledge of business methods add of finance in general, it is likely that he will be entrusted with Air Stewart’s ministerial duties. In the meantime, it is possible that the Ministry of Public Works will be allocated to Mr Hansom, who held that portfolio during the United Government’s term of offiro. The Postmaster-General, Air Hamilton, who ip also Minister of Labour, is mentioned as being likely to administer the Ministry of Unemployment until Mr Coates' return. The Cabinet has been sitting long hours for the past few days, and «' groat deal of attention has been devoted to the Ottawa Conference. . Late this afternoon the Cabinet’s Ottawa Conference Committee heard the representatives of the tobacco and hop growers, and immediately after this, tlie Committee was engaged in a discussion of Conference questions for two and a-half hours, after which the preparations for the „ Conference are already well forward, and it is' certain that the Government will be actively engaged on completing its plans within the three of four weeks that remain before the delegation must leave Auckland for Vancouver.

No intimation lias yet been given concerning the staff which, will go to Ottawa, but it is almost certain that the Comptroller of Customs, Air G. Or ai g. will he one of the experts included.

Dr. Marsden, Secretary of the Scientific and Industrial Research Department, is absent from work on account o" illness, and it is unlikely that lie will be able to leave New Zealand. A representative of the Industries and Commerce Department may be chosen, but, in any that three Ministers are to go to Canada, the delegations will be kept as small as possible.