WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1932, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS

MINISTERS AT WORK. A BUSY TIME. (From a Correspondent). WELLINGTON; July 21. With the Right Hon J. G. Coates, Minister of PuDlic Works Minister of transport, and Minister in Charge-of ivinploymerit, and ,’the Hon. W. D. Aewart, Minister of Finance, Minister of Customs, and Attorney General, attending the Ottawa while die Prime Minister is snatching a lew days of well earned partial rest at his own home in the South Island, the remaining members of the Cabinet are having a busy time. It must not ve assumed, however, that Mr Coates

and Air Stewart are simply ,enjoying a holiday jaunt. Mr Coates already nae Had to deprecate'a stoiy. put about by the Canadian Press to the effect that this country’s chief industries are “unemployment riots and financial extravagances,” and to dissipate other absurd stories concerning the conditions of this Dominion. Mr Stewart. has paved the way for the New Zealand delegation in ia. material measure and his association with Mr Bruce, the leader of the Australian delegation can but bear, satisfactory results. ■ - y HONEST WORK. -The Prime Minister himself has taken over temporarily the portfolio of Finance for the term of Mr Stewards absence, which, it i§ scarcely necessary tt> say, will be .as short as..possible. Mr A. Hamilton, one of, the younger members of the Cabinet, already burdened with Post and Telegraph's Labour, Internal Affairs, Tourist and Health Resorts, Publicity, Statistics, Audit, /Museum and. Advertising ■ Departments, has been laden with the department of Employment, probably the,most tiresome load that could befall a Minister of the Crown at the present time. That the comparatively young man from Southland is shaping uncommonly well under his expanding respbrfsibilities is admitted by all the'parties,, even by-Labourites and Independents- though these sections of the House, of course, are not committing themselves further. The temporary Minister of Lmployment, whatever bis party leaning may be, can- be trusted to see that honest workers'receive such assistance as the Government can reasonably provide. Ao more than this could be honestly expected. LAND AND LABOUR. ■ Just as Mr Coates’ locum,, tenens is striving ‘to keep eager workers in honest employment, Mr Ransom, the Mini's ter-"of Lands is striving' to keep farmers-on the "land and to increase •their -number. No Minister since the dasys of Sir John McKenzie lias done sc- much for land settlement in this eounry as --Mr Ransom has, - under difficulties which none, of his predecessors encountered, and it is to be hoped that whatever may be the fate of- the Coalition Government in the near or distant future the'services of so capable a lavid administrator as Mr Rani om has proved himself to be will be 'retained. .The policy of the present Government is not ’merely! to place 1 men on the land, at any cost, as was done immediately after the Great War, hut having, proved them as capable husbandmen, to keep- them cn thei farms in. prepartion for' the better timed that surely are at hand. . THE REVIVAL. lAs much may be said of Mr.Fo'fbes’ colleagues, perhaps the association of piirtiee tending toward maintained effort. Sir Apirana Ngata, not so very long ago merely a representative of ffiis own rrtce, is now in charge of half dozen portfolios, giving them exemplary application; Mr J. A. Young, Minister of Health, Minister in Charge of Mental Hospitals and the Printing Department; Hon R. Masters, Minister of Education, Minister of Industries and Commerce and cne of the beet informed' members of the Legislative Council; Mr J. G. Cobhe, Minister of Defence, Minister of Justice, Minister of Marine, Minister in Charge of Pensions, Police and Prisons, one of the most assiduous workers'in the Cabinet and one of tile warmest regarded .n both chamber.;, the list' concluding with.Mr C. E. Macmillan, the latest appointee, as Minister of .Agriculture and Minister, of Mines, and. one of the most personally popular. The Cabinet on the whole has fully justified the spirit of Coalition.