IMPERIAL CABINET CHANGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1935, Page 4

IMPERIAL CABINET CHANGES.

The changes made in the allocation of portfolios in'the Government of Great Britain are more of domestic than of Empire interest. The one exception is the appointment of Mr. Malcolm MacDonald to be Secretary for Dominion Affairs in succession to Mr. J. H. Thomas, who takes the position of Colonial Secretary, the office which controls the non-self-Governing portions of the Empire other titan India. The selection of Mr. MacDonald is an indication of the desire of the Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, to maintain the “National” character of the Ministry, despite the fact that the Conservatives have nearly a two to one majority over all other parties in the House of Commons. In view of the trade negotiations that arepending between the Dominions and the Imperial Government it is satisfactory from their point of view that the new Dominions Secretary recently visited New Zealand and Australia and learned at first hand the problems and ideals that face Dominion Ministers. Of course, the negotiations will "be a matter for the’

Government of Britain as a whole to deal with so far as the United Kingdom is concerned, but to have a Dominion s Secretary with personal knowledge of oversea conditions and problems should make it easier for the Dominion viewpoint to be understood. It is stated that the new appointment has been made in the hope of reaching a settlement of the difficulties outstanding between Britain and the Irish Free State. Mr. MacDonald’s training has been in a progressive school of politics, and if it has enabled him to avoid the inhibitions of earlier differences between the two Governments he may have better opportunity than his predecessor for reaching a settlement with Ireland, particularly as economics as well as politics are now involved in the present unfortunate dispute.