LABOUR CAUCUS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 October 1943, Page 2

LABOUR CAUCUS

MEETING IN WELLINGTON TOMORROW DECISIONS ANTICIPATED. REGARDING CABINET VACANCY & SPEAKERSHIP. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Among questions to be dealt with by the caucus of the Parliamentary Labour Party are the filling of the Cabinet vacancy caused by the defeat of the Hon. J. G. Barclay, Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Marketing, and the selection of a nominee for the Speakership, in succession to the Hon. W. E. Barnard, who was also defeated at the election. The selection of a new Minister is expected to rest between Mr B. Roberts (Wairarapa) and Mr E. E. Cullen (Hawke’s Bay). The name of Mr C. M. Williams (Kaiapoi) has also been mentioned, but his domicile alone will quite possibly debar him from consideration, as the preponderance of primary production in the North Island may influence the choice of a member from that area. Mr Roberts has been closely associated for some time past with the administrative side of primary production and has done a considerable amount of work in promoting vegetable production throughout tie Dominion, while Mr Cullen has tasen an active part in establishing land settlement schemes under the Rehabilitation Board and also for the Native people.

Mr Barclay held the portfolios of Marketing as well as Agriculture, and the possibility of there being a reallocation of Ministerial responsibilities with the separation of these two portfolios is being discussed. He also held the portfolio of Lands, the importance of which has probably been increased by the operation of the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Act. Three names have been mentioned in ccnnebtion with the Speakership the Chairman of Committees, Mr R. McKeen, the chairman of the Statutes Revision Committee in the last Parliament, Mr F. W. Schramm, and the At-torney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Mason. Should Mr Mason be selected for nomination as Speaker it’is expected that his place in the Ministry would be taken by Mr Schramm, who is the only other lawyer the party has in Parliament. The general opinion, however, is that Mr Schramm will be nominated as Speaker. An indication is likely to be given after tomorrow’s caucus of the date at which Parliament will next assemble. It is thought that there may. be. no meeting until early in the coming J ear. Information is awaited also as to the date at which the Hon. W. Nash is to resume duty as New Zealand Minister to the United States.