The Waipukurau Press. Tuesday, February 20, 1906. THE CABINET.

Waipukurau Press, Issue 20, 20 February 1906, Page 2

The Waipukurau Press. Tuesday, February 20, 1906. THE CABINET.

Under the above heading the Dunedin Star has a very pointed article on the re-construction of the Ministry. It indicates that the fact of Sir Joseph Ward’s offices being temporarily allotted to other Ministers than the two gentlemen who have so often been referred to as unlikely to continue in office is not without political significance. It says: “ Neither the Minister of Lauds nor the Commissioner of Customs has been invited to undertake relieving work. Yet Messrs Duncan and Mills are not overburdened with official business, and, other considerations being equal, it might have been supposed that they would be required to take a share in the management of the departments usually administered by Mr Seddon’s chief lieutenrnt. Is it fanciful to assume that this omission is not without a special import in reference to to the possibility of more radical changes? We think not; and, indeed, we fully expect that the composition of the Cabinet will be altered and strengthened in the course of the next two or three months by the substitution of two well-known members of Parliament for the Ministers just named

And we feel sure that there will be a great feeling of satisfaction and relief in the ranks of the Liberal party, when the necessary re-ar-rangement has been effected. . . . . There is good reason to belie (as has been said) that something will be dvne in the course of the next two or three months. No donbt the subject has some invidious featu es. It is not pleasant to be obliged to make specific refere ice to respectable politicians as Ministerial ‘ failures ’ ; but it must be borne in mind that repeated hints have been quite resultless, and that the Ministers in question have persistently refused to give a voluntary interpretation to the expressions of public opinion. Moreover, no dishonor or serious discredit attaches to; this kind of failure. A political! may be a very worthy member of Parliament, as well as a thoroughly good sort of fellow, and yet may have the misfortune to display unfitness for

Ministerial rank when injudiciously put to the proof. We need not enlarge upon the question as to who wilHbe the two new members of the Cabinet when the change is effected, but it is reasonable to assume that these Ministers will be found in the South Island.”