THE CABINET

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 261, 25 January 1928, Page 8

THE CABINET

THERE is talk in Wellington again of the appointment of a 1 Cabinet Minister in succession to the late Mr. Bollard whose portfolio of Internal Affairs has been going the rounds since his death, the brunt of the work being discharged by Sir Maui Pomare, Minister for Cook Islands and Member of the Executive representing the Native Race. The Cabinet as it is at present constituted contains eleven members with, and two without, portfolios. It has been argued, and not without some reason, that there should be no necessity to increase the number of office holders. Many countries of greater; size are administered by Cabinets not stronger numerically than that of New Zealand. It is, of course, for Mr. Coates to say if another Cabinet supporter is essential to the smooth running of the machinery of State, and if he so decide he has an unenviable task ahead of ‘him. Whenever such an appointment is mooted, the guns are trained on the Prime Minister. Geographical arguments are brought to bear. The names of South Island and North Island Members of the Executive are significantly set out in parallel columns and the ease for the old political soldier is pleaded with poignancy and power. “Mr. Blank has served for 26 years as a stalwart of the party. His claim to preferment cannot be overlooked.” In six cases out of ten, Mr. Blank’s claim is the very one that, in the country’s interests, should be ignored. The responsibility for the appointment of the best man available rests entirely with the Prime Minister, and Mr. Coates, we trust, has the courage to make a decision apart from geographical or personal political considerations. 1 A London journal recently gave Mr. Baldwin a little advice oq the subject of remodelling his Cabinet. “If the Prime Minister shrinks from applying the broom,” the writer said, “let him reflect on the thousands of good men who have been pitilessly ‘axed’ from the public services to which they had devoted their whole lives. Do politicians as a class deserve to be treated with special leniency?” The answer is decidedly in the negative. If a man has not the necessary qualifications for a position as Minister of the Crown (and there is no need to enumerate them) there can he no possible justification for his appointment. Some of the politicians who have been named as likely to succeed Mr. Bollard would most effectively succeed in weakening the Cabinet; others, on their past showing, should fill the office of Minister of Internal Affairs with diplomacy aqd success. It is to be hoped that Mr. Coates, if the Cabinet is brought up to its former numerical strength, will insist on the nomination of a man of vision and energy whether he come from Parenga or Stewart Island, and whether he has sat in the House of Representatives for three sessions or twenty.