NEW DEFENCE MINISTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22832, 17 March 1936, Page 9

NEW DEFENCE MINISTER

THE OBSERVER’S COMMENT “ASTONISHING APPOINTMENT ” (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, March 15. The Observer, in an editorial, regards Sir Thomas Inskip’s appointment as astonishing, and declares that an admirable man was never appointed to a more inappropriate office. It adds: “This is a grave matter for the nation. Mr Baldwin moves in a mysterious way in connection with important offices. There can be no safety in depending on him in defence issues. The appointment is a severe public misfortune.” PAPERS EXPRESS SURPRISE (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, March 15. The Prime Minister’s choice of Sir Thomas Inskip for the new Cabinet position of Minister for Co-ordination of Defence was unexpected in political circles, and the comment in this morning’s papers is largely expressive of this surprise. But, except for one or two doubts expressed whether the new Minister, who is known chiefly as an able lawyer and a doughty champion against reform of the Prayer Book, has sufficient imagination and receptiveness to new ideas for the great task which lies before him, the selection generally is well received. It is recognised that the overmastering consideration in the Prime Minister’s mind in rejecting other candidates whose names have been canvassed widely in the last few weeks has been the desire that the new Minister should not have had previous political connections with one or other of the defence departments, nor be prominently associated in the public mirvd with particular international policies, so that, as The Times says, his appointment at this particular moment in the world’s affairs might be misunderstood or misrepresented.