THE CABINET CRISIS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11752, 6 December 1916, Page 5

THE CABINET CRISIS

\m ASQUITH'S ANNOUNCEMENT. i NO CHANGE IN WAR POLICY. tAustiahan-N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received December 5, 12-30 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 4. When the House of Commons assembled there was a. full attendance, : and considerable excitement. Leading members of the Cabinet were conspicuously absent. Sir Edward Carson arrived early. Questions proceed- ■ ed for an hour before Mr Asquith appeared. The Prime Minister was 1 warmly welcomed. I Mr Asquith, replying to a question Iby Si r Edward Carson, said lie would i shortly announce important food problem decisions, and would giVe the , House an early opportunity for disi cussion if it desired. I Answering a question by Mr John : Dillon a s to whether the Food Dictator's name could be given, Mr As- ! quith said: "No such person exists. I do not like the word 'dictatoif.' " I Proceeding, Mr Asquith said the : King approved of the reconstruction ■of the Cabinet.. Mr Asquith thought i tho questions of personnel should he | deferred until matters in progress i were completed, if they were to be i completed. The best course under the ! circumstances was to proceed with to- ! day's uncontroversial business, and : then adjourn txntil Thursday. Mr Dillon, at a. later stage, appealed for a longer adjournment if Mr Asquith was not certain he would be able to make a definite announcement on Thursday, Sir W. M. R. Pringle contended that the House should have an opportunity to discuss the new situation. I Mr Asquith . said :"I desire to make it perfectly plain to both the House j and the country that any reconstrue- : tion of the Cabinet will not involve a '> departure in any shape or form from the policy already announced and pursued since the beginning of the war. If anybody encourages or entertains the idea that there i s any question of a change in policy, I can assure theni that they are entirely mistaken. I am willing to leave the period of the adjournment to the House."

Mr D. Dalziel asked whether arrangements would be made for Ministers to carry on their work during the interval. He understood that all the Ministers' resignations " were in the hands of the Prime Minister.

Mr Asquith v "There will he no difficulty 4 in the Ministers performing their duties. The first business! on reassembling will be the credit vote, which will afford an opportunity for members to discuss any topic." Mr Asquith's motion to adjourn until .[Thursday after to-day's business was carried without division, though the Nationalists strongly protested.