Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1935. THE BRITISH CABINET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 131, 15 March 1935, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1935. THE BRITISH CABINET.

The indisposition from which Mr Ramsay MacDonald is suffering has led to revival of rumours of pending changes in the British Cabinet. The National Government has reached hnd passed the half-way house in its fiveyear term. ft has undertaken and accomplished huge and unprecedented tasks. Through all its various business it has preset ved a cohesion that must be considered remarkable when its divers elements are kept in mind. Its very success and the weight of Parliamentary support behind it have perhaps obscured the magnitude of its achievement and robbed it of the spectacular appeal so powerful in politics. By the same token its numerical superiority has emboldened candid friends in attacks both bitter and sustained. These latter have uneasingly suggested that Cabinet is not a happy family, and as readily have forecast the changes they would wish to see. So far they have been belied by the event, or lack of it. In any changes that may be pending, moreover, it is likely that the same people will be disappointed of the radical action they would insist is necessary, lheir difficulty resides in the splendid fact that Mr Baldwin, who can command the situation, places honour above party . advantage. He has given pledges to the country and to Mr MacDonald and has shown he intends to keep them. Hence it is clear that, although some readjustments in the Cabinet may be contemplated, they are not likely to be such as to after the original and essential constitution of what is still a National Government. At the same time the Government has arrived at a stage in its task where new factors are in play. It was given a general mandate by the electorate in October, 1931, to set about two great undertakings recovery and re construction. In the first, Cabinet has acquitted itself strongly and has won an admitted success. Great Britain has been placed fairly and squarely on the road to recovery. And so the half-way house has been reached and passed. But the business of reconstruction is not so easy. T he pa ‘, follow is not so clearly defined. When it comes to policies some wou d take one direction and some another. JJ is that divergence surprising. Kestora tion keeps within the limits known, but new building opens up a large field of ideas and opinion, lhis divergence has led to some changes m the Ministry that first assumed the title of National, hut it would appear that the secession from the ranks of followers have not seriously affected its stability. The main cons.derat'on at the moment seems to be if Mr Ma Donald is sufficiently restored to health to continue in a post that even u„de the most favourable conditions must Impo" a considerable mental and physical strain.