BRITISH DEFENCES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22831, 16 March 1936, Page 9

BRITISH DEFENCES

NEW MINISTRY CREATED SIR THOMAS INSKIP APPOINTED (United Press Association* (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, March 13.

Sir Thomas Inskip has been appointed Minister for Co-ordination of Defence. The appointment came as a complete surprise. He will take up his duties immediately and have a seat in the

Cabinet. He will exercise daily control of the Committee of Imperial Defence and will be responsible for the speeding up of plans and for consultations of the chiefs of staff. Sir Thomas Inskip, who has been Attorney-general since 1932, is a noted lawyer and is 60 years of age. He was born in Bristol and was educated at Cambridge University. He was attached to the Naval Intelligence Division of the Admiralty from 1915 to 1918 and later became head of the naval law branch of the Admiralty and the Admiralty representative on the War Crimes Committee. He entered Parliament as the representative of Central Bristol in 1918 and served for three periods as Solicitor-general and as Atttorney-general in 1928 and 1929, APPOINTMENT CRITICISED MR CHURCHILL PREFERRED LONDON, March 15. (Received March 15, at 11 p.m.) The Solicitor-general (Sir Donald Somervell) will succeed Sir Thomas Inskip as Attorney-general. Mr T. J. O’Connor will succeed Sir Donald Somervell. Sir Austen Chamberlain and _Mr Winston Churchill both »poke at Birmingham, Sir Austen Chamberlain expressing the regret felt by many members of the House of Commons that Mr Churchill was not made Minister of Defence. Mr Churchill sat expressionless and declined subsequent comment. Sir Thomas luskip, speaking at Southampton, said that he was aware that his appointment had caused surprise. He declared that he was not a Minister of Defence, his duty being to co-ordinate the defence measures.

Lord Strabolgi, in an interview, said that he regarded the appointment ae grotesque. He declared that a lawyer was not the man for the job.