AN UNINSPIRING CHOICE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 505, 12 April 1933, Page 4

AN UNINSPIRING CHOICE

The leader of the Reform party cannot be congratulated upon his discrimination in his latest appointment to Cabinet. Although opinions as to the ability of the Hon. Downie Stewart may differ, there is no doubt that his replacement in Cabinet by the 1 member for Waimate, Mr. J. | Bitchener, still further lowers the standard of Cabinet ability toward mediocrity. c" Mr. Bitchener is no doubt a very worthy member of- Parliament if worth is measured in terms of strict adherence to party, of entirely conventional thinking and complete proficiency in the good olc political game of fellow-my-leader. Apparently the choice was left entirely in the hands of the Reform leader, the Prime Minister j taking the view that because 2 one Reform member had resign- | ed, another Reform member | must necessaTily take his place. How far Mr. Forbes's view in this direction was influenced by the exigencies of the politica' situation^ it is difficult to say but he cannot be absolved from responsibility for what is undoubtedly a most uninspiring choice. When the Hon C. E. Macmillan was elevated to Cabinet rank, we expressed the opinion that the principle of making Cabinet appointments for party and terri- ; ; torial reasons was entirely wrong | ; and the same observation applies j j in the- present instance. New j Zealand's most urgent need at | the present moment is for men of vision and enterprise to guide her public affairs. It is immaterj ial whether a man is a ReformI er or a member of the Unitec. section, whether he is a farmer j or a representative of business interests, a political veteran or j the variest tyro. So long as h'is | personality has marked him as | a man of energy and ability, he is the man. It was in some sense as an expression of this feeling ' that the New Zealand Legion movement had its beginning and one of the aims of the legion is to | bring a higher standard of inI dividual ability into public life.

We are not entirely m sympathy with the rather nebulous aims and policy of this body as so far expressed, but there is no doubt that this object at least, is one which is to be commended. Something more is required from a Cabinet Minister than the mere ability to follow his leaders into the lobby and to occupy seats on routine committees and more or less inconspicuous public bodies. Mr. Bitchener has been long enough in Parliament to prove that he is a very conscientous private member for a rural constituency and a loyal adherent of his party but he is neither more nor less than that. The same thing may be said of a large number of other members in the House, all of whom, on the strength of this qualification may justly consider themselves aggrieved by the choice. Mr. Bitchener, it is true, has been for some time, senior Reform whip, and while this is a guarantee of his loyalty and orthodoxy, it is not a qualification for Cabinet rank. A whip, after all, is a species of -party policeman, a sheep-dog to yap at the heels of the stragglers and shoo them into the fold, but he is a man more likely to be distinguished by his value to the party machine than for his individuality and ability to think for himself. There are still members in the House among both the Reform and United sections of the Co^lition, who have marked themselves as something more thanparty units. The member for

member for Parnell, Mr. Endean, have both been frequently mentioned in connection with the Cabinet vacancy and both would have been preferable to the present selection. In aetual fact, there is no sound reason why "a newcomer to politics such as the member for Invercargill, Mr. J. Hargest, who has marked' himself as a vigorous and thoughtful representative, should hot have consider ation. Length of service to the party machine, after all, is no real qualification for appointment to a portfolio: At a time when the country, requires the best braihs and the greatest vigour which the House can supply in the constitutioii of Cabinet, Mr. Coates has further weakened its personnel by his preference for mediocrity. The principles which apparently guide the selection of the country' s chief executive" officers would never be tolerated by iaiiy private or business - orgaiiisation. Oiice again, "more ■ business in Government" has been shqwn to be nothing more than a pdlitica)