The Southland Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1942. The Smaller War Administration

Southland Times, Issue 24891, 3 November 1942, Page 4

The Southland Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1942. The Smaller War Administration

AFTER the resignation of four National Party representatives from the War Administration the future of this political edifice should have become a question of public interest. The languid nature of speculation on the future of the Administration showed once again that most people are too deeply preoccupied with the war and its attendant problems to discover any great importance in a reshuffle of portfolios. Yet the general attitude might have been different if the changes were occurring closer to the central direction of war policy. The War Administration came into being without any noticeable sounds of applause. It was clearly recognizable as a compromise, arranged chiefly in the interests of political unity. The first real strain imposed by a domestic issue showed that there are still differences of outlook in political circles which appear to be too wide for reconcilement. In the circumstances the Prime Minister would have been wise to simplify the processes of government. The logical course was surely to attempt the formation of a stronger domestic Cabinet. If the Hon. A. McLagan has proved himself a valuable ministerial recruit (a matter upon which there is not enough evidence to shape any public judgment) he could have been promoted to the War Cabinet. Apparently Mr Fraser hesitated to take this action, although precedents for it can be found in British politics.

It is interesting to notice, however, that only two new members are entering the War Administration to replace the four National Party Ministers who resigned. The Hon. J. G. Barclay, Minister of Agriculture in the domestic Cabinet, is to take over the direction of primary production for war purposes —a natural extension of his normal duties. The Civil Defence portfolio, formerly in the hands of Mr W. A. Bodkin, goes to the Hon. D. Wilson. The Hon. Adam Hamilton now adds the supervision of war expenditure to the tasks he has undertaken as Associate Minister of Supply and Munitions. And the Hon. A. McLagan becomes Minister of National Service, a post which extends his responsibility as Minister of Industrial Man-power. The net result is that the Administration has 11 members instead of the original 13. Both the new recruits are Labour Ministers, so that nothing has been done to preserve any semblance of ” wider Parliamentary representation. Admittedly, the unifying motive could no longer be given serious attention while the National Party stood aside. But if the sole remaining motive was the strengthening of war-time administration it is hard to understand why the Government decided to retain a facade which adds complexity rather than strength to the executive system. Mr Fraser allowed the list of new appointments to go out for publication without an explanatory statement. He was probably right in deciding that silence was better.