NEW CABINET

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 217, 11 June 1935, Page 9

NEW CABINET

Speedy Change-over In Britain LITTLE EXCITEMENT Balance of Parties Almost Unchanged (British Official Wireless.) « Rugby, June 8. The reconstruction of the Cabinet was effected yesterday with remarkable expedition' and a minimum of excitement.

During the afternoon, Mr. J. Ramsay MacDonald was addressing the House of Commons on defence questions as Prime Minister. On leaving the House he drove to Buckingham Palace and within the next two and a half hours all the formalities in connection with the change-over had been completed, and the new Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, had Issued his Cabinet list. Owing to the Inclusion in the new Cabinet of two Ministers without portfolios—Mr. Anthony Eden (for League of Nations affairs) and Lord Eustace Percy—it is a larger Cabinet than its predecessor, and comprises 22 membets. A feature of the new Cabinet is that the balance of parties in it remains practically unchanged. The Liberal-Nationals have an additional seat owing to the advancement of Mr. Ernest Brown to be Minister of Labour, and the Conservatives also have one additional Cabinet Minister. The average age of the members of Cabinet is 54 years, as compared with 57 in the late Cabinet. The reduction is due mainly to the'promotion of three members who are in their thirties. The youngest member is Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, who is 33. Mr. Anthony Eden is 38, and Mr. Oliver Stanley 39. In the new Cabinet, for the first- time for 70 years, father and son, Mr. J. Ramsay MacDonald and Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, will be members. It is understood that the late Prime Minister, whose office of Lord President of the Council is a sinecure, will have special responsibility for the co-ordina-tion of the activities of the defence forces, and will be chairman of the sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence. (Note on Page 7.) STATEMENT ISSUED New Secretary For India (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, June S. Lord Zetland, the new Secretary of State for India, has issued the following statement on taking office: — “I am naturally gratified at the opportunity of being associated once more in so intimate a manner with the destinies of India. I realise that the future Constitution is already in shape, and that the task which falls to my lot is not to draft the measure but rather to aid in piloting the Existing Bill through its final stages to the Statute Book, and, thereafter, to join with Lord Willingdon, the Viceroy, in bringing the new form of Government into' operation. “The credit for the Bill will remain for all time Sir Samuel Hoare’s. Perhaps I should add that it has always been my view that a reasonable continuity of policy is essential in.the relations between Britain and India. In this case the continuity will be easy and natural, for my views and those of Sir Samuel Hoare on the question of the Indian Constitution have been found to be in almost complete sympathy with one another during the long process of investigation at the roundtable conferences and by the Joint Select Committee in which he and I have taken part. “I do not under-estimate the difficulties of the task before me. but from the sympathy of many personal friends, whom lam fortunate enough to possess in India, I shall hope to derive encouragement and strength.’’