THE BRITISH MINISTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13049, 14 December 1905, Page 4

THE BRITISH MINISTRY.

Lord Rosebery has stated that nobody but a lunatic would believe that' a - Home Rule Bill is to be introduced during nest Parliament. The, evidence 'against- ,uls lordship's confident assertion in, accumulating fast. To-day we publish- a list of appointments that have bean made to ten Ministerial oilices, most of them outside of the Cabinet. Of the appointees no less than four are pronounced Home Rulers—that is, they advocate the reform when they meet their constituents. Thess are Mr. McKenna, Mr. Shaw. Mr. Causton, and Mr. . Robertson. 01' the others some have not iiad an opportunity of voting on Home Rule, aad the her? were probably with the "ayes" when Mr. Gladstone's measure was carried in the House of Commons in 1893. The most notable of the new appointments is that of Mr. Winston Churchill— die com'rig man. Soldier, author, war corres-

pondent, good debater, • ha- is toe most notable young man in England to-day. He lias seen active service in Cuba, on the iiuh»ra frontier, in tbc BJudan, and in the Boer war, has published several books on V* py!.v!ri-v.v.cn. He is said to porsR?: :: msuy ot the characteristics of s>i» laU yati'or. Lord Randolph Oh chili. Ho sat in last Parliament as a Conservative, but opposed Mr. Chamberlain's fiscal views, arid resented Mr. Balfour's ambiguity on the- subject of preferential trade. His desertion to the Liberal ranks hardly can be a surprise, as he has been appearing on Liberal platforms. After putting in van eventful ten years since he joined the- army at the age of 19, he lias reached Ministerial office at the age of 30. Pi i is to be Under-Secretary for the Colonies. We have previously said; that the policy of adventure, regarding the colonies, begun by Mr. Chamber- i lain,, would come to an end with &f i

appointment of Lord Elgin as Secretary.: :' Lord Elgin may have a tendency to follow old courses;- but lie is likely to; have some difficulty in keeping his dashing subordinate in check. The prospect •of a dull Colonial Office : is gone now that Winston Churchill is there.' " Of the others named little need be said, except that the Attorney-General, Mr. John Lawsoa Walton, is an able lawyer and a policed speaker.'