WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1920, Page 8

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE REFORM CAUCUS. (Special Correspondent). Wellington, Feb. IC. The official report of the Reform caucus on Saturday follows the usual lines. All the members 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 were welcomed as notable additions to the strength of the party. The report, more closely than is always the case on such occasions, indicated very fairly the constitution and temper of the meeting. It was a, time for selfcongratulation and self-congratulation was not lacking. But Mr. Massey did not allow his supporters to separate without reminding them of the difficulty of some of the great problems he and they had to solve during the life of the present Parliament. There necessarily had been a period of "go slow" in domestic legislation and in public, works, and the pace in both these directions would have to be accelerated. CABINET APPOINTMENTS. Mr. Massey's own pressing prohlem 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 Herries, 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 office! Sir William Fraser is to retire for a well-earned rest and Sir William Herries also may elect to take a spell as a private member. These withdrawals will leave Mr. Massey with three vacancies to All, and it is generally understood it is bi9 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 appointments to make. The impression he gave to observant members of his party on Saturday was that two of these would bo made forthwith, perhaps during the current week, and that the other two would be made at a more convenient teason Until the Stratford petition is decided Mr. Hine's eligibility for re-appointment will not be determined, and, with the possibility of another election being ordered by the Court, it would be a very unkind thrust indeed to the iate occupant of the seat to close the way to his restoration to ministerial rank. Delay in this case is excusable. IN THE RUNNING. Other members thought to be in the running, mentioning them in alphabetical order, and not according to preference, are Mr. G. J. Anderson, Mr. A. S. Malcolm, Mr. Edward Newman, Mr. C. J. Parr, Mr. V. H. Reed, Mr. Statham, Mr. Downie Stewart and Mr. J. A. Young. Sir R. 11. Rhodes would be on the list were it not for the fact that there is a plethora of South Island eligibles. Mr. Mnssey's idea of an equitable ministerial balance between the two Islands is seven for the North and throe for the South nnd; as Mr. Nosworthy already is in the Cabinet, 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. Anderson 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. Edward Newman or Mr. Young. But no one can discover what is in the Prime Minister's mind.