The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1909. THE NEW CABINET.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2393, 7 January 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING THURSDAY, JANUARY 7,1909. THE NEW CABINET.

In re-adjusting his Ministry, Sir Joseph A Yard has played the part of a. shrewd diplomatist. ■lt was, ol course, impossible to please everyone, and with just about a dozen Government followers seeking a place in the Ministry, and only two vacancies to be filled, it seemed that- disappointment and chagrin were bound to follow the notification of the appointments. However, Sir Joseph succeeded in making another vacancy by inducing the Hon. Air. McGowan to retire, and by adding two more positions to what may bo designated his

‘‘honorary staff” he lias found billets for the majority of the aspirants. It is not likely that there will be any immediate addition of a substantial nature to the. total amounts paid for Alinisterial salaries, but in the near future it may be anticipated that Parliament will be asked to sanction an increased expenditure in that direction. So far as wo are concerned, we sec no need for the creation of these extra Ministers,, whether the conditions of appointment stipulate with or without pay. Thero were formerly eight members of the Ministry, and the number is sufficiently largo to carry on the administrative affairs of the country, provided each individual Minister is competent and confines himself to the legitimate administration of his department and does not spend the bulk of his time electioneering. However, there are now ten members of the Alinistry, each of whom lias been entrusted with the charge of some branch of the public service, humble though it may be in some instances.

Coming to the actual allocation of portfolios, it must he admitted that on the whole Sir Joseph has made a wise selection from the material at his disposal. Air. Roderick AlcKenzie, though an old member of the Liberal party, has never displayed any brilliancy, but he is a man of sound common-sense, and there is no reason why lie should not carry out the duties of Minister of Public AA’orks and Alines to the satisfaction of the country. Mr. D. Buddo is another member of the solid sort, capable of very useful work, hut it is hard to realise why a practical fanner such as ho is should have been called to the' Alinistry merely to administer ■the Department of Public Health and the minor ones of Internal Affairs and Old Age Pensions. In all probability, it will fio found that later on Sir Joseph will relinquish to the Canterbury member the more congenial portfolio of Agriculture. The Hon. T. Mackenzie was a general "tip” for the Lands Department, but he has been taken on only to superintend the Tourist and Commerce Departments. Here again, we fancy it will bo found that this is only a preliminary appointment, and that subsequently the Lands Department will be transferred to him. In the meantime it can be taken for granted tnat Air. Mackenzie, who is a very able man, will do good service in the- position that has been allotted him. The appointment of Mr. Ngata to the Executive may to some seem unnecessary, but lie will certainly strengthen the Ministry, and the Departments entrusted to him will be in safe hands. With the Hon. Air. C'arrdll also in the Cabinet, there should be no excuse in the future for East Coast interests being neglected. The least satisfactory of the new appointments is that of Air.' Hogg, -an inflammatory socialist from Masterton, who is not likely to add. materially to the political sanity of the Cabinet. However, a Government which has. largely pandered to the socialistic element could scarcely refuse to give, it some representation, and' as the fiery gentleman from- "Lyttelton; Air. George Lauronson, .has been passed. ’ over, wo may thank our fortune that only one pronounced socialist has been added to

I the Alinistry. A curious feature about the ro-adjustuivnt of portiolios has been, the replacement of Air. Miliar as Minister of Labor by AirHogg. Air. Millar, has shown conspicuous ability in his handling of the extromely difficult situations arising from labor disputes, with the result that he has gained a large amount of confidence amongst the employers as well as amongst the better class of workers. The agitators and loafers liked him not because ho insisted upon scrupulous fairness in the observance of the law, and it seems very unfortunate that at this' critical stage in the industrial history of the Dominion so capable a’man should give way to an ontrand-qut socialist. Mr. Hogg may bo able to inspire employers with confidence, but we have distinct misgivings on the point. Our own Minister, tho Hon. Mr. Carroll, who was obviously overloaded before, has been given additional work in the care of the Cook Islands and the Advances to Settlers Departments, and we can only hope he may,, be equal to the strain. It is rather a pity that with so many colleagues the Premier has found it advisable to retain such important Departments as Finance, Lands and Agriculture, Post and Telegraphs and others in his own hands, but as the present arrangement will probably prove to be only a temporary one, there need be no more said on that score. AAutlr the exceptions noted Sir Joseph appears to have . made on the whole a wise selection, and the affairs of the country, generally speaking, should be in good hands.