TWO NEW MINISTERS APPOINTED

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5282, 19 December 1946, Page 6

TWO NEW MINISTERS APPOINTED

Messrs, E. L. Cullen and F. Hackett Selected The selection of Mr. E. L. Cullen (•Hastings) and Mr. F. Hactkett (Grey Lynn) as new members of Cabinet has been made at a caucus of the Parliamentary Labour Party. The decision of caucus was announced on Tuesday night by the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser. The question of the leadership of the Legislative Council and that of the party's nominee for the position af Speaker of the House of Representatives, was postponed until a later date. An announcement of ' the portfolios to be administered by Mr. Cullen and Mr. Hackett will be made within the next few days. The constitution of Cabinet will now be Messrs. P. Fraser (Prime Minister), W. Nash, D. G. Sullivan, H. G. R. Mason, R. Semple, W. E. Parry, F. Jones, ,A. H. Nordmeyer, J. O'Brien, C. F. Skinner, A. Mc Lagan, E. T. Tirikatene, E. Cullen and F. Hackett. Mr. Fraser said that caucus was attended by 41 members. The only meiftber absent was the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, who is attending the conference of the South Pacific Air Transport Council in Canberra. The announcement by the Prime Minister of the reconstituted Cabinet also contains the name of Mr. McLagan, who resigned his appointment to the Legislative Council, of which he was the Leader, to contest the Riccarton seat, for which he was returned. It is generally expected that the portfolio of Agriculture will be given to Mr. Cullen, who is the only member of Cabinet with farming experience. Chief interest, fhowever, will be iu the portfolios to be given to Mr, Hackett, for his experience would seem best to fit him for the administration of industrial or rehabilitatior matters. Although the Employment portfolio has been held by the Prime Minister since the establishment of thf National Employment. Service, th administrative work connected wit'l this department has been done by Mr McLagan, but it is expected that-h will now assume the full Ministeria responsibility for the department. I' has also been suggested that Mine: and Labour may be allocated to Mr McLagan. These two department: .were originally administered by Mr Webb, but since he had a breakdowi in health sorae time ago, they hav been in the charge of Mr. O'Brieti who also holds the portfolios o Transport and Marine.