NEW PRIME MINISTER

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 978, 22 May 1930, Page 8

NEW PRIME MINISTER

HON. G. W. FORBES SELECTED NARROW WIN FROM MR. RANSOM NEARLY EIGHT HOURS’ TALK BY CAUCUS Special to THE SUH WELLINGTON, Today. CANTERBURY gained its first representative as Prime Minister of New Zealand last evening when, at 9.5, Mr. A. J. Murdoch, Senior Government Whip, announced to the Pressmen at Parliament Buildings that the Hon. G. W. Forbes had been elected Leader of the United Party by the caucus, after seven and three-quarter hours’ discussion. With all members of the caucus advancing their views, the decision was made, and it is believed, though naturally no figures of the voting were given, that the polling was very close.

Four candidates offered themselves for election: The Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands. The Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works. The Hon. W. A. Veitch, Minister of Labour. The Hon. H. Atmore, Minister of Education. It was not until the resumption after the tea adjournment at 7.30 that balloting took place, and it is stated that Mr. Atmore and Mr. Veitch led in the first elimination ballot, and the question of their election was not proceeded with. Voting then went forward on the two favourites in the field, with Mr. Ransom’s price having firmed overnight. He lost, however, in the final count Sir Thomas K. Sidey, Leader of the Legislative Council, and Mr. G. C. Munns, M.P. for Roskill, were the scrutineers for the election, and all the members of the United Party except Sir Joseph Ward and Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Grey Lynn) were present. An Independent, Mr. J. T. Hogan (Rangitikei) was also present at the caucus. Although Mr. Forbes has been elected the party’s new leader, Sir Joseph Ward has not yet resigned, and when his resignation is placed in the hands of the Governor-General the rest of the Cabinet will resign, and Mr. Forbes will be sent for to form a Ministry. It is not anticipated that there will be any radical changes in the composition of the Cabinet, although the question of additions will have to be considered. CAUCUS NOT ROWDY Contrary to the expectations in some quarters, the taucus was not rowdy, and even the “naughty boys” of the party fell into line, possibly realising from the example of Mr. H. R. Jenkins that the way of the party transgressor is hard. On all sides after the result of the election was heard, the opinion was expressed that the caucus was the best the party had had, and that throughout a spirit of sweet reasonableness prevailed. The speeches of all the candidates were stated to be good, although details were not available. Private members had the privilege in the morning session and early in the afternoon of airing their views, and those of their constituents. In the afternoon the candidates made their election speeches, and in the evening the business of the ballot was carried out.

When Mr. Forbes was declared elected Rotorua was communicated with, but no opinion on the subject could be gained from Sir Joseph Ward, as it was stated he was asleep. After the- announcement of the result was made by Mr. Murdoch, there remained still some business to be transacted by the caucus, am] the pressmen could not yet approach the Prime Minister-elect. Bursts of applause punctuated what were apparently congratulatory speeches, and Mr. Forbes’s health was drunk with apparent enthusiasm. At about 9.30 Mr. Ransom left the caucus, but returned at about 10 o’clock. At about 10.30 the Press was admitted to the cheerful gathering, and received the first statement from the next Prime Minister.

TWENTY-TWO YEARS IN PARLIAMENT MR. FORBES’S CAREER The new Prime Minister is 62 years ot age. He has been in Parliament for 22 years, having represented the Hurunui electorate since 190 S continuously. Formerly the leader of the National Party, he was appointed Minister of Lands when the United Government gained power in 1928. Since then he has acted as deputy-leader of the party and during Sir Joseph Ward’s indispositions, carried on the business of the country as actingPrime Minister. Born at Lyttelton in IS6B, Mr. Forbes was educated at the Christchurch Boys’ High School, and in his younger days was a prominent sportsman, achieving distinction as a Rugby footballer aud at rowing. He captained the East Christchurch Football Club when it won the Christchurch Rugby championship and ended his football career as captain of the Canterbury representative team. He was engaged in business until he was 25 years of age, but when the Cheviot Estate came into the hands of the Liberal Government under the Land and Income Tax Act, he was in the ballot for sections, and drew a good

section, thus becoming one of the original settlers. Since the Ilurunui seat came into existence it has always been represented by a Liberal. Up till 1902 the electorate was known as Ashley and from IS9O to 1902 it was represented by Mr. R. Meredith (Liberal). In 1902, Mr. Meredith split with the late. Right Hon. Richard Seddon in connection with the Glentui runs and declared himself an Independent. At the election that year Mr. Meredith lost his seat to Mr. A. W. Rutherford. Mr. Forbes, who was then a young man, entered the field that year, but polled only 205 votes. Mr. Rutherford retained the seat until 1908, wheh he retired from politics and Mr. Forbes was elected by a substantial majority. He has held the seat continuously since then, his majority at the 1928 General Election being 1,600. On his entry into the House of Representatives in 1908, Mr. Forbes belonged to a Radical or more advanced section of the Liberal Party and has always championed the cause of the small farmer. He has performed good service in local body work and was a member of the first. Cheviot County Council. He was also a member of the Lands Commission set up by the Liberal Government. After the death of Mr. Massey in 1925, Mr. Forbes was spokesman of the Liberal delegation which conducted unsuccessful negotiations with representatives of the Reform Party on the subject of fusion. When it was found that no agreement could be reached, the Liberal Opposition adopted the title of “National Party,” previously suggested for the proposed coalition. Its leader, Mr. T. M. Wilford, suffered a breakdown in health and Mr. Forbes took charge. At the election in that year his followers were greatly reduced in numbers, and Labour became the official Opposition. Mr. Forbes continued to lead the Nationalists until the United Party came into power.

MR. FORBES’S STATEMENT CABINET WILL BE BUSY UNTIL THE SESSION “PARTY ABSOLUTELY SOLID" Special to THE SUH WELLINGTON, Today. “It is especially cheering to me to feel that the party Is unanimous in its decision to appoint me as its leader, and to know it is behind me heart and soul in facing the work in front of us, and there is no question of divided opinion in. the ranks. They are absolutely solid, and no doubt this will be of considerable assistance to us when we face Parliament. * “A good deal of immediate legisla tion has been prepared, and will be ready for Parliament when it is opened. A number of important Bills has to be prepared, and Cabinet will have to concentrate, sitting fairly continuously till the beginning of the session. We hope to have the legislation finalised before the session.” That was part of the first announcement of the Prime Minister-elect, the Hon. W. G. Forbes, after his election by the United Party caucus this evening. "I greatly appreciate the high honour that has been conferred on me,” said Mr. Forbes. “Of-course. Sir Joseph Ward is still Prime Minister. I would, of course, have been better pleased had I attained this office at a time when there was greater general prosperity in the country, but we must recognise that a serious drop has taken place in the prices of our primary products, which will be felt throughout the country. But it only means that the situation will have to be faced, and I have every confidence that New Zealand will face it. CONFIDENCE IN COUNTRY

“While the experience may be trying, at the same time I feel quite certain that in a country like this, with so much scope for development, our present difficulties will be comparatively short. Our country has many avenues for development, and a new; necessity has arisen. These avenues will he exploited. “Sincerely I regret that it has been necessary for my old chief to stand down. I came into Parliament when he was Prime Minister, and I have been associated with him more or less closely ever since. It must have been a very great wrench for him to pait with a position for which he was so well fitted. He has decided to remain connected with the Executive Council as a member without portfolio, giving us the advantage of his sound experience and mature judgment in the problems that will no doubt have to be solved in the near future. We hope to have our programme well in hand and finalised before Parliament meets, which will he about the usual .time. June 26.”