UNDER WHICH KING?

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 15 May 1925, Page 8

UNDER WHICH KING?

Reform Party Leadership.

SIH FRANCIS BELL TEMPORARY PRIME MINISTER.

By Telfvraon— Press Ansociotlnn. WELLINGTON, May 14. After the conclusion of the funeral obseques of the late Prime Minister, the Hon. Sir Francis Bell waited on His Excellency the Governor-Gene-ral at Government Buildings, ana was duly sworn in as Prime Minister. The new Prime Minister on his return to Parliament House issued the following statement to the Press:

“Mr Massey had for many years held unquestioned supremacy in the Government and liis party . within and without the walls of Parliament. Until his health recently so seriously failed that it became evident that liiß recovery was hopeless, no*question had even arisen of succession to his place, and thenceforward so long as his life lasted discussion of that question was silenced by common consent. The death of the Prime Minister, though it does not automatically terminate the actual tenure of other members of the Government and Executive Council, creates at once the.right, and indeed the duty of the Crown in England or the representative of the Crown in the Dominion, to call upon some person to take that office, the holder of which, has special constitutional functions and duties until the members of the party in the House of Representatives which had placed the Ministry in power could be duly consulted, and themselves choose -their leader. It was not possible for His Excellency to select, or for Ministers (if tlieir advice was asked), to name to His Excellency a member of the Party who should by common consent of all finally take Mr Massey’s place.as leader and head of the Government.

His Excellency was pleased to communicate with me, and to accept my advice that the surviving, members of the Government shduld for the present he confirmed in their respective offices. His Excellency was also pleased to appoint me to be Prime Minister, and so to continue the official duties which I have recently, as on various previous occasions, been called upon to undertake during Mr Massey’s lifetinte. r '

"The offices of Minister of Finance and Minister of Stamp Duties were held by Mr Massey, and have become vacant by his death. His Excellency lias been pleased to appoint the Hon. William Nosworthy to both ibices.” “A meeting of those mem tiers of the House of Representatives who have supported Mr Massey’s (government during the present Parliament will be convened at a very earl}' date, and that meeting will be asked ■ to choose a party leader in the House and in the country. I will then tender to His Excellency the resignation of the Government and if Hi 3 Excellency thinks fit to then ask my advice I shall be in a position to speak confidently on behalf of the party and to name the leader to whom it is desired that the duty of forming a new Reform Government should be entrusted.”