NEW SUPPORTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 134, 8 June 1929, Page 9

NEW SUPPORTER.

LIBERAL TO LABOUR.

Mr. W. A. Jowitt, K.C., Will

Cross The House.

POSITION IN CABINET,

(Australian and X.Z. Press Association.)

(Received 11.30 a.m.)

LONDON, June 7.

Mr. W. A. Jowitt, K.C., has joined Mr. Mac Donald's Cabinet as Attor-ney-General and although elected as a Liberal he has joined the Labour party.

He is one of the most able men at the Bar, and is described as a great accession to Mr. Mac Donald's Government.

Mr. Jowitt was elected with Mr. Tom Shaw for Preston (a two-member constituency). The Liberal newspapers admit that he did not fight Labour but co-operated with it. He and Mr. Shaw were elected in a four-cornered fight against two Conservatives by a combined Liberal and Labour vote. Mr. Jowitt, in a letter to Mr. MacDonald on June 5, said: "Everyone must regard your task with passive sympathy. Those, like myself, hitherto Radicals, must consider whether we ought not to support your party as the only effective instrument to carry through the desired reforms. I willingly enrol under your banner." Mr. Mac Donald replied, pointing out that it has become a question of choosing which of the two parties one must serve. He cordially welcomed Mr. Jowitt. Opposition Meetings. The ex-Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, intends to revive the Conservative "shadow Ca-binet," from which there were such good results in 1924. The members of the late Ministry will meet periodically at the headquarters of the party in St. Stephen's Chambers, where Mr. Baldwin will have an office. The leaders of the Liberal party last evening assembled at the Marquess of Reading's house and discussed a policy to be recommended to the Liberal Parliamentary party, who have been summoned to a meeting to be held on Thursday next to hear a statement from Mr. Lloyd. George, It is believed that the leaders decided to table an amendment to the King's Speech demanding an inquiry into electoral reform.

The ".Daily Telegraph" predicts that the resignation honours will include a peerage for Sir William Joynson-Hicks, ex-Home Secretary.

The Baldwin Cabinet handed over the seals of office to His Majesty at Windsor at four o'clock and took formal leave. His Majesty received the resigning Ministers in the audience chamber, with full ceremonial.

A BOMBSHELL.

Liberals Startled At Mr. Jowitt's

Change-over.

WILL THERE BE OTHERS? (United Service.) (Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, June 7. The "Sunday Herald's" political correspondent says that Mr. Jowitt's action fell like a bombshell among the Liberals everywhere. The Liberal executive meets to-night to consider the position. No recent example can be recalled of a member of the House of Commons "crossing the floor" within a week of his election. Mr. Jowitt has offered to resign the Preston seat and contest it as a Labour representative, but it is understood that he will not be asked to resign if he undertakes to stand for Labour at the next election and not to contest Preston again. Ho has given this undertaking.

The Liberals had no knowledge during the pre-election proceedings that Mr. Jowitt was likely to become a member of the Labour Ministry. One of the most influential Labourites said: "At least seven or eight more Liberals are sure to come over to the side of moderate Labour in the next few months. Our next job is to put the Liberals out of existence, based on the idea that the Liberals must either come to us or go to the Conservatives." ■

AN IMPORTANT POST.

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received 1 p.m.)

KUGBY, June 7,

Considerable surprise has been created in political circles by the statement that Mr. Jowitt, the eminent King's Counsel, who is a Liberal, has been offered the post of Attorney-General in Mac Donald's Ministry. Mr. Jowitt's position is somewhat peculiar. He Avon, as a Liberal, one of the two seats at Preston, the other seat being won by Mr. Tom Shaw (Lab.). It is claimed that Mr. Jowitt was elected by the aid of Labour votes. The post of Attorney-General is ona of very great importance, and involves, almost invariably, close and confidential relations with the Government. It can hardly be regarded as a simple legal office. In the last Government, for instance, Sir Douglas Hogg, as AttorneyGeneral, led the House of Commons on most important occasions, such as tha long debates on the Trade Disputes Act, and° he even deputised for the Prime Minister.