WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3412, 17 February 1920, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

T A TRIUMPHANT RALLY. . ‘-an f THE REFORM CAUCUS. _i—._¢ ’ (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 16. The official report of the Reform caucus on Saturday follows the usual lines. All the muembers of -the party were present or accounted for, and the gathering was of the most harmonious character. The Prime» Minister was congratulated upon his “sweeping victory,” and ‘the new members werewolcomed as notable additions to the strength of the party. The report. more closely than is always the case on such occasions, indicated very flairly the constitution and temper of the meeting. It was a time for self-con~ gratulation, and self-congratulation was not lacking. But Mr Massey did not‘ allow his supporters to separate with-1 out warning them of the difiiculfy of: some of the great problems he andj

they had to §olve during the life of the .present Parliament. There necessarily ad been a period of “go slow” in yfiomestic legislation, and in public ‘ works, and the pace in bo'th these directions would have to be accelerated. CABINET APPOINTMENTS. Mr Massey’s OW.n pressing problem at the moment is the reconstruction of his Cabinet. At present the Prime Minister has eight colleagues, Sir James Allen, Sir William Fraser, Sir Francis Bell, Sir William «Berries, Mr Guthrie, Mr Nosworthy, Mr Coates, and Dr. Pomare, making up a Ministry of nine, which before the war was considered enough for the requirements of the country. But Sir James Allen is expected to go Home to take the dual position of Resident Minister and High CommiSsioner——with probably Sir Thomas Mackenzie looking after the commercial side of the ofl“lce—-Sir Willi'a.m Fraser is to retire for a Well-earn-ed rest, and Sir William Her-ries also may -elect to take a spell as a private member. These withdrawals will leave Mr Massey .with three vacancies to fill, and is generally understood it is his intention to bring up the numerical strength of the Cabinet to ten by making one additional appointment. “ THE NEW MINISTERS. Much of this, of course, is speculation, but it "is, for the most part, the speculation of people who may be supposed to_ know more about the ins and outs of the position than can the mere ' man in the street. Assuming it is a fairly accurate forecast of What will happen, Mr Massey will have four appeintments to make. The impression R gave to observant members of his (party on Saturday was -that two of these would be made forthwith, per- - haps during the current year, and that the other two would be made at a more convenient season. Until the Stratford petition is desided, M": ‘Hams eligibility for reappointment will not be determined, and with the possibility of another election being ordered by the Court,’ it would be a very unkind thrust indeéd to the late Occupant of the seat to close the Way to his restora- ’ tion to Ministerial rank. Delay in -this

N case is excusable. f_ IN THE RUNNING. ’ Other members thought -to be in the running, mentioning them in alphabetical order, and not according to preference, aro Mr G. J. Axiderson, Mr A. S. Malcolm, Mr Edward Newton, Mr C. J. Parr, Mr V. H. Reed, Mr Stathlam, Mr Downie Stewafi, and Mr J. A, Young. Sir R. H. Rhod-es would be on the lists were it not for the fact that there is a plethora of South Island eligibles. Mr Massey’s idea of an idea. of an equifable Ministerial bal-

ance between the two islands is seven for the North and three for the South,‘ grind as Mr Nosworthy alre'3.dy is in the abinet, the probabilities seem to point to two of the new appointments being made from members representing constituencies on this side of Cook Straits, and two members representing constituencies on the other. If this should _be the ultimate ‘arrangement Mr An-...-derson and Mr Statham may be the final selections from the South, and Mr Parr from the North, with the reversion of Mr Hine’s portfolio remaining for Mr Newman or Mr Young. But no one can discover what is in the Prime Min‘ister’s mind.