War Administration
SPECULATION on the future of kJ the War Administration was contained in a special message from Wellington, printed yesterday. In the absence of a definite statement from the Prime Minister it seems to have been assumed in political circles that there will be a re-allocation of the portfolios surrendered by the National Party Ministers. This may be groundless speculation, although the continuance in office of the Hon. A. McLagan and his Government associates seems to call for an early decision on the future of the Administration. The simplest way out would surely be an acceptance of the plain fact that the War Administration has collapsed. Il .was created
as a means of attaining political unity, and now that that motive is removed there seems no good reason for buttressing an expensive annexe to the structure of government. Of the 13 members, five were already in the domestic Cabinet, and have no further need to spread their duties to a shadowy organization. The War Cabinet has lost only one member (Mr Holland), and if his replacement is necessary the promotion of Mr McLagan would automatically solve the problem of his present status. It has been suggested that Independent members and an Opposition member might be co-opted to reconstitute the War Administration. But if the intention is no longer to achieve political unity the only reason for further appointments would be an improvement in the control of the war effort. It is doubtful if this aim can be realized by calling in members who have shown no outstanding qualifications. The War Cabinet remains almost as it was before. If there is room for improvement in the direction of national policy (a matter about which there can scarcely be two opinions) the best way to obtain it would be an extensive reform of the domestic Cabinet. The resignation of Mr Langstone provides an opportunity for such action, and it is high time that an effort was made to find several new and better Ministers. Further attention to the War Administration would merely postpone the day when a well-intentioned experiment must be written off as a failure.
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Southland Times, Issue 24879, 20 October 1942, Page 4
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355War Administration Southland Times, Issue 24879, 20 October 1942, Page 4
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