BRITISH CABINET

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20717, 30 January 1939, Page 9

BRITISH CABINET

SOME CHANGES

DOMINIONS’ OFFICE ASSUMED BY SIR T. INSKIP LORD STRATHCONA RETIRES (United Tress Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Jan. 28 It is officially announced that the following changes have been made in the British Ministry:— Sir Thomas Inskip.—-Secretary of State for the Dominions. Admiral of the Fleet Lord Chatfleld.— Minister for the 'Co-ordination of Defence. Bir Reginald Hugh Dorman-Bmith. Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. Mr W. S. Morrison.—Chancellor of the Duchy of -Lancaster. Earl Winterton.—Paymaster General. The Earl of Munster.—Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for War. Lord Strathcona, who formerly held this position has resigned. Mr Morrison will assist Lord Chatfield and answer for him in the House of Commons. Earl Winterton’s Position Earl Winierton ceases to be a member of the 'Cabinet but retains the secretaryship of the inter-Governrnental Refugees’ Committee. Lord Winterton’s Offer An exchange of letters between Earl Winterton and the Prime Minister, Mr Chamberlain, is published. In a letter dated January 26, Lord Winterton recalled that in March, 1938. he was asked to join the Cabinet in

order that the then Secretary of State for Air, who was a member of the House of Lords, might be replaced by a Cabinet colleague in the House of Commons.

That arrangement ended when a Secretary of State for Air was appointed with a seat in the Lower House. Another temporary arrangement whereby Lord Winterton gave assistance to the work of the Home Office, he pointed out, had also come to an end.

Lord Winterton proceeded to refer to the scope of 'his work as chairman of the inter-Governmental Committee for Refugees, and added in these circumstances he felt it his duty to place his seat in the Cabinet at the disposal of the Prime Minister. He gave an assurance that he had had no difference of opinion with Mr Chamberlain or with any of his colleagues, either on personal or political grounds.

Mr 'Chamberlain expressed great appreciation of Lord Winterton's publicspirited action and with great reluctance accepted his offer. He added: “In doing so, I should like to thank you very sincerely for the help and support you have given me while you were a member of the Cabinet.”

MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE

NEW ZEALANDER’S IMPRJSSSIONS EXCEPTIONALLY CAPABLE MAN The new Minister of Agriculture, Sir Reginald 11. Dormaii-Smith, is Conservative member of the House of Commons for the Petersfield division of Hampshire. He was president of the National Farmers’ Union in, 193 - -37, and passed through Auckland in April of last year after attending, as Leader of the British delegation, the conference of Empire primary producers in Sydney. “ The appointment of Sir Reginald DoiTnan-Sinitli to the British Ministry of Agriculture is undoubtedly a great win l'or the English farmer,” said Mr 11. 0. Mellsop, one of the New Zealand representatives last year to the Empire Producers’ Conference in Australia. “ Sir Reginald impressed us very much as an exceptionally capable man who was very keen on protecting the British farmer.”

Mr Mellsop described the new Minister. who is cnly 40 years of age, as a particularly good speaker, very insistent and persuasive,