THE NATIONAL CABINET.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4002, 7 August 1915, Page 5

THE NATIONAL CABINET.

TWO HONORARY MINISTERS APPOINTED. SIX FROM, EITHER PARTY. MR. MACDONALD TAKES MINES AND AGRICULTURE. FULL LIST OF PORTFOLIOS. RET Ilx EM ENT OK HON. 11. If. RHODES. By Telegraph—Special Correspondent. WEL LINGTO.N. Aug. 0. The oflieial announcement' of the person in*! ol' the National Cabinet, together with the allocation of portfolios and 1 Departments to be confrolled by each, Almistcr was. made by tire Prime Minister early this evening, irnnud’iately after the swearing-in eeremony before the Governor, at Government House. A new development, which resulted in the increase of the number of the

Cabinet Ministers from ten to f wm-,--; by the. appointment" of two honorary Ministers, occurred riming to-day. All the nine members whose appointment to tin 1 new Ministry was forecasted by your representative in last evening’s message are included in the Cabinet. Mr. Hamm, whose appointment was foreshadowed as being very probable, is also included. The two additional aimointiuntfs are those' of Sir Frames Bell and Dr. McNab, whose inclusion in the new Government was not dots named upon until to-day. Thu two honorary Ministers are Sir Francis Bell. M.L.C., and Mr. Ilanan (Invercargill). The former trill continue to hold his present- position of Leader of the Legislative Council, without portfolio, whilst Mr. Hamm b.'-eoims Minister l’or Education and Immigration. 'Pile chances of Air. T. K. Shay (Dunedin South), runner-up to Air. Kalian. were considered bv his supporters to he wry good, but, during this forenoon, it hecame an open secret, that the choice for the last place on the Opposition side had fallen to Air. Ilanan.

IT 1 K it LEY It NT fl-UOCR. SCR PRIS! PACKET.

The real "surprise packet" of today was the decision to appoint two

honorary Ministers, for which statutory provision exists, and tlie. consequent inclusion of sir Francis Pell, whose retirement, it is believed, l ad been arranged, and Dr. MeXab, who had announced his intention to stand aside, and who, in fact, left Wellington for the South Island alter the ; djournment of the House on Wednesday with Dr. Pomare, who continues to'hold his position of rep vseotative of the Maori race in the Exeuith e without full Cabinet rank, completes a total Ministry of thirteen. ■SWEARING-IN CEREMONY. It was late this afternoon before t)’e Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Waul had concluded the numerous eon lev - enecs that the arrangement of t-ne new Ministry and the allocation oi portfolios has entailed. The bare announcement of "llnexnectod Development’.’ was made by Mr. Massey oai i' in the afternoon, and, as he could give no details, this anno.!.moment ad led to the eager curiosity with which the official apnouiicement of the new ( a>)_ inet was awaited.

The members*., of the new Cabinet left Parliament House .in motor cars between halt-past 4 and 5 o’clock for Government House, where the newlyappointed Ministers wore duly, sworn in. They returned to Parliament House shortly before 6 o’clock, when the official announcement of the names of the new Cabinet was made to the press representatives by the Prime Minister. *. ■ ' ■"

The list or Ministers is os follows: RT. HON. W. F. MASSEY—Prime Minister, with the portfolios of Lands and Labor, tie also retains several less important Departments, in eluding Industries ** and Commerce and doctoral. RT. HGN. SIR JOSEPH WARD— Fina nce a rid Post mas t c r-G <*hera I. HGN. CR. Me NAB—Justice and Marino. HON. 0. W. RUSSELL—lnternal Affairs, Hospitals, Public Health, and Government Printing Offices. HON. W. H. HERR!ES—Railways and Native Affairs. HON. A. M. MYERS—Customs, with the new portfolio of Munitions and Suoplies. H ON. A. L. HERDM AN—Attor-ney-Gene ral, Prisons, Police, and Stamps. HOM. D. S. MACDONALD— Mines and Agriculture. HON. W. FRASER—PubIic Works. HOM. J. A. HAN AN—Education and hum ignition. HGN. SIR F. BELL—Leader of the Legislative Council. HON. DR. POMARE—Pepresontrng the Native race in the Executive and in charge of the Cook Islands. Mr. Massey stated that Sir F. Hell and. Mr. iianan were lion, ministers. Speaking of the retirement of Mr. Rhodes, Mr. Massey said: 1m thoroughly appreciated the generosity of Air. Rhodes’ coming forward and placing I ids resignation in his hands in order | to facilitate, the formation of tin* Xa- j tiona! Cabinet. Me ] jar ted with Mr. | Rliode:-, ?t> far as Ministerial position i was concerned, with sincere regrit, i Although Mr. Rhodes had no amljtio i I to fill the pages of "Hansard.' 1 and j did not make a great noise in th ■ ! House, Laving seen his work .for 'th • i last three years. Sic had no hesitation j in saying that he (Mr. Rhodes.) was I one of tin? best administrators of Pub- ! lie Departments the eountia* had m’>t j known. Everything he took in hand he did thoroughly and well.