BRITISH CABINET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22738, 26 November 1935, Page 11

BRITISH CABINET

PRESS COMMENT ON CHANGES MR MACDONALD INTERVIEWED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, November 24. The Associated Press Association interviewed Mr Malcolm MacDonald, the youngest bolder of tbe Dominions .Secretaryship. He expressed gratitude to the New Zealand and Australian Governments for the excellent arrangements they had made for his tour last year, enabling him to see in a comparatively short time a tremendous amount of tbe country and to obtain a glimpse of the, great variety of dominion problems, which he would find of great advantage in the future. " I look forward to doing anything I can in co-operation with the leaders of the dominions to deal successfully with many maters of mutual concern," be said. Mr MacDonald declined to discuss either the Imperial Conference or the Imperial air mail scheme, pending again familiarising himself with the position. The department, where he begins duty on Monday, however, regarded as certain that he must soon inaugurate preliminary discussions regarding the Ottawa agreements and conference arrangements. His parliamentary future is still uncertain. While there is no constitutional bar to bis remaining temporarily in the Cabinet without a seat in the House, his position must soon be regularised. Meanwhile, Lord Stanley will deal with dominion questions ill the Commons. The Times says Mr Baldwin's selection of Mr Malcolm MacDonald for the new office at this time is a fitting rebuke to tbe ill-natured critics who, during the election campaign, insinuated that Malcolm's first promotion to Cabinet was really his father's act. The Daily Telegraph, which regards the exchange of secretaryships -as surprising, says it is hinted that Mr MaeDonald's transfer implies renewal of the attempt to reach an Irish settlement when the opportunity is favourable.