THE AUSTRALIAN CABINET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22596, 8 December 1936, Page 9

THE AUSTRALIAN CABINET

NO PRESSURE ON MR. BALDWIN

EARLIER ACTION TAKEN BY MR. LYONS

(Received December 7, 10.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 7 The Federal Cabinet met at Canberra to-day and resumed discussions involving the King. It was decided to await Mr. Baldwin's statement in the House of Commons. Ministers are reported to be perturbed at the suggestion that the Dominion Governments brought pressure upon Mr. Baldwin, and an official denial is given the suggestion that Australia took the initiative in placing its views before the British Government. It is, however, learned that the Prime Minister, Mr. J. A. Lyons, informed Mr. Baldwin some time ago of his own views on the matter, which were then strictly confidential, but it is only within the past few days that the subject has been referred to the Cabinet, which confirmed Mr. Lyons viewpoint. The Sun deprecates the attempt overseas to make political capital out of the crisis that is shaking the Empire, and adds: " Until the British Government informed the Commonwealth Government at the end of last week of the tragic difference between the King and his Ministers, the Commonwealth Government was entirely unaware of the crisis. While there is ample evidence that the first approach was from the King to the British Cabinet, there is equal warrant for belief that the first communication from the British Government came as a complete surprise to the Governments of Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.