NEW CABINET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23600, 8 March 1940, Page 8

NEW CABINET

AUSTRALIAN STEP COALITION PLAN TWO LEADERS AGREE THE COUNTRY PARTY MELBOURNE. March 7 A Coalition Government is to be formed in Australia. The Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Menzies, lias reached an agreement with the Country Party after a long discussion. Mr. A. Cameron, Leader of the Country Party, is to be deputyPrime Minister, and members of his party are to receive two portfolios and two, honorary posts in the Cabinet. Mr. Menzies retains the right to name Ministers, but promises the fullest co-operation with Mr Cameron. The Coalition will have a clear majority in the House.

A cablegram published on Wednesday paid the Leader of the Federal Country Party, Mr. A. Cameron, was to meet Mr. Menzies, in Melbourne yesterday to discuss the possibility of forming a composite Ministry. The Country Party had approved of Mr. Cameron discussing an alliance \\;ith the I nited Australia Party. The Sydney Morning Herald said it was stated authoritatively that Mr. Cameron, in the light ol the result ol the Corio by-election, would take an uncompromising stand. Negotiations last September for a composite' Ministry between the United Australia and United Country parties ended abruptly, following which Mr. Menzies announced that his proposal under which he should select his own Ministers from the rank and file of the Country Party had been unanimously rejected. Sir Eiarle Page, the then leader of the Country Party, resigned and Mr. Cameron was elected to succeed him.