His conduct in abandoning his old chief was much criticised at the time, but his new patron chose him as Minister of Public Works and Transports in the cabinet of 1907. He proved a capable administrator, especially when he had to face the nearly total destruction of Messina and Reggio Calabria due to the terrible earthquake of 1908 . His capacities permitted rapid aid to the survivors and also an efficient reconstruction of the two destroyed cities, using at their best the bulk buying and transport capacities of the rail system which he had reorganized as minister of public transports.