THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 19O9. THE NEW CABINET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3086, 7 January 1909, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1909. THE NEW CABINET.

In accordance with his declared intention the Premier yesterday announced the personnel of the new Cabinet. Important alterations have been made, and, taken as a whole, the constitution ot the new Cabinet must have come somewhat as a sm prise to the people of the Dominion. The Premier's task was, undoubtedly, of an unenviable character, and one of considerable difficulty. That he has faithfully discharged his great responsibility, as he believes to be best in the interests of the country, ncfe are few will deny, but the wisdom of his selections, from ~a party point of view, and the advantages that the country will gain therefrom, are, of course, will be generally debated, ar.d in regard to which great diversity of opinion will exist. The Premier is essentially a man of business, and he likes to •have things done decently and in

order. His sense of the eternal fitness of things—a prominent trait in a strong character—has made itself manifest once more in the constructing of the new Cabinet. The Premier holds that the Attorney-Generalship and the portfolio for Justice shouid be combined, and his decision in the respect mentioned must he approved of so far as the combination of the offices is concerned. On the other hand there fire those who would rather see a successful politician, and one member of the Ik.use- in particular, filling those offices than the present occupant. However, it is Iho Premier and not the pcrr-lc who forn. the Cabinet! The Hon. J. McGowan has been "elevated" to the Upp': House—we take it that there is nothing in the nature of an Irishman'H rise about the elevatiun which M McGowan has experienced, and it L> gratifying to learn that no unpleasantness of any sort has occurred between the Premier and Mr McGowan. The Hon. J. A. Millar, as Minister for Railways, has the opportunity of rendering the Dominion magnificent seivice. Tnere is no doubt that there is great scope for invaluable work in the Department of K.ilways, end if Mr Millar takes the righf view of things, and insists up"jn-having his own way, we shall in the future hear less of fie various reforms of which the Railways Department stvuds in need. During the las; general election several well-known Government members, whose names hsi] (ran mentioned in connection with Ministerial rank, were defeated, an 1 these circumstances rendered the task of the Premier somewhat easier thm it would otherwise have been. However, comparatively easy or hard, or whatever may have been 1' ; ?n Premier's task, we venture ko gay thai the inclusion of Mr Buddo in' the Ministry will prove a decided surprise throughout the country. |However, discussion of the appointment in these columns muse remain tor a future occasion. The inclusion of Messrs T% McKenzie and A. T. Ngata wili certainly meet with pt.pular favour, and there are many who will regret that Mr McKenzie was not ap- ! pointed to a more responsible position. Mr Ngata is not so well known, but he is a gentleman of erudition, of noble singleness of purpose, of considerable legal capacity, and his ap pointment as Minister of the Public Trust pffice, in view of the fact that Maoris as well as Europe?, s .-re vitally intereste.i 'rp ihe adminisf",vtion of that office, is one that calls for unqualified approval. A tele gram published elsewhere gives the Premier's own explanation of why he has accepted the portfolio of Sir Joseph Ward's action is chivalrous and brave, aol we freely confess thAt in our "opinion he has chosen in the Government Pro.ly the most capable member tout he could have selected to be Minister for Lands. The position of Minister for Lands is no sinecura; of him much is expected, and the land question is by no means settled in this Dominion. The Premier is, we believe, a and we trust that fJture legislation will show him lo be unfailingly true to his convictions on the great land tenure question.