CABINET CHANGES IN ITALY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20441, 11 June 1936, Page 9

CABINET CHANGES IN ITALY

IL DUCE ABANDONS PORTFOLIOS CONTROL OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received June 10, 8.15 p.m.) ROME, June 10. It is unofficially stated that Signor Mussolini will, as soon as sanctions are lifted, relinquish the War, Navy and Air portfolios, which will be merged into a Ministry of National Defence, with Marshal Badoglio as Minister. REPORTED RESHUFFLE RESULTS IN RESIGNATION OF MINISTER United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright ROME, June 9. A significant Cabinet reshuffle is interpreted as foreshadowing Constitutional alterations, giving greater power to Ministers, and reducing Signor Mussolini’s responsibilities. II Duce has divested himself of the portfolio of Foreign Affairs, Colonies and Corporations, which go respectively to Count Ciano, his son-in-law, Signor Lessona Lantini, while Signor Basliannl becomes Foreign Secretary, in succession to Dr. Suvich, who unexpectedly resigned, securing laudatory tributes from Signor Mussolini for his services. REGARDED AS WISE MOVE ENGLISH COMMENT ON CHANGES United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received June 10, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 10. The Rome correspondent of "The Times” reports that Signor Mussolini’s surrender of the Foreign Office administration is regarded as a wise move, since the new Foreign Minister, once Italy has emerged from her state of isolation, will presumably represent Italy at Geneva and other international conferences abroad, thereby giving additional weight to Italian participation. It is therefore deduced that Signor Mussolini is now convinced of the imminent repeal of sanctions, and is making ready to give all the force he can to Italy’s resumption of her place among other nations. Count Clano’s appointment is also probably intended as a symptom of the relaxed tension in Europe, though, of course, it will not deflect the Italian foreign policy from any line Signor Mussolini chooses to give it. BOMBING OF AMBULANCES REASON FOR ITALIAN ACTION United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received June 10, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, June 9. Dr. Ralph Hooper, a member of the American Ambulance Division in Abyssinia, discloses that Ras Desta, during a customary hurried retreat, commandeered a Red Cross lorry and loaded it with ammunition, but before the work was completed the Italians put him to flight. The invaders captured the lorry, and shortly afterwards decided to bomb the ambulance units.

MARKING TIME LITTLE NEWS FROM ABYSSINIA British Official Wireless RUGBY, June 9. Questioned in the House of Comirons on the present position in /byssin<a, Lord Cranborne (Under-Secre-tary for Foreign Affairs) said the Govsinia, Lord Cranborne said the Government had no information that since the capture of Addis Ababa on May 5, and Harar and Dirediwr. shortly afterwards, there l ad been any great extension of the area which has been occupied by the Italian forces. During the concluding stages of the campaign, reports from Western Abyssinia indicated the existence of considerable unrest and general insecurity a feature of the latter being hostility between Galla and Amhara elements in the population. Having regard to the possibility of disorder in this part of the country, the British Consulates at Mega and Maji had been temporarily closed in view of the Impossibility of ensuring the safety of their staffs.