THE NEW CABINET.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9340, 8 January 1909, Page 5

THE NEW CABINET.

MR MASSEY’S OPINION. PROBABLE DISSOLUTION, Per Press Association. Auckland, January 6, Interviewed late to-night upon the personnel of the new Cabinet, Mr W. F. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, who haa not, up to the time of our representative’s visit, become aware of the changes, said that the appointments came as a surprise to him, just as ho supposed they would have come as a surprise to most people. “I think,” said Mr Massey, “the appointments indicate the difficulty the Premier has had in filling up the vacancies in the Cabinet. lam perhaps more surprised at Mr McGowan’s withdrawal and resignation than an3't!dng else that has taken place. This seems to met» indicate that he for one is not satisfied with the new order of tilings, and really I do not wonderjjthat tuch is the case. MR HOGG AND THE FLOUR DUTY. “As for their political principles, I cannot understand by what reasoning the new men have been chosen. Mr Hogg, for instance, is almost what Sir Joseph Ward called a revolutionary Socialist. In noticing Mr Hogg’s appointment as Minister for Customs, I cannot help recollecting that in the last Parliament he was the most strenuous advocate for taking the duties off floor, wheat and other cereals. Whether the responsibilities of office will modify his views on these matters or not remains to be seen. I predict, moreover, very lively times for the Labur Department with Mr Hogg at the head of it. INDIVIDUALISTS AND COLLECTIVISTS. “The two McKenzies are individualists, and how they will work on the land question with such men as Messrs Fowlds and Hogg—one an extreme single taxer and the other an extreme laud nationaliser—l cannot possibly imagine. Mr Buddo’s politics are not particularly well defined, and I have no doubt he will find himself ready to go with the majority in whatever direction it feefi inclined to travel.” SET-BACK FOR NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT. “Mr Ngata has always been dead against the settlement of the Native lands by settlers, except as tenants of Native landlords, and I take it his appointment*means that there will be no settlement of the Native lands, while he is a member of the Executive, The taking over by Sir Joseph Ward of the Departments of Land and Agriculture can only he a temporary ar- c rangement, as“that gentleman has no knowledge of the details of either one or the other. As regards Mr Millar taking over the Department of Railways, I think that ont of the present Cabinet he is probably the man best fitted to the position.” CABINET OP CONFLICTING ELEMENTS. “I cannot imagine,” said the Leader of the Opposition, “how a Cabinet composed of so many ooaflcting elements will wors together, and I think time will prove that the old saying that a house divided agr-inst itself cannot stand will again come true. Whether Parliament and the country will approve of the new departures I am not able to say. Personally, I am very strongly of opinion that the new Cabinet is no improvement on the old. I think it will be seen that the Prime Minister has tried to please too many, and has pleased very few. In consequence, I should not be at all surprised to see an appeal to the country long before the ordinary term of the present Parliament has expired.”