The Daily News. FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1915. BRITAIN'S NATIONAL MINISTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 300, 28 May 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1915. BRITAIN'S NATIONAL MINISTRY.

The formation of the coalition ministry in England ] 1!ls bc . PII th(J J f many Tumors, so that the oflicial notification of tlio personnel of the National Cabinet should bo received with interest throughout the Empire. There ean he but one verdict 011 the choice of Ministers—complete satisfaction. The new Cabinet is certainly the strongest that could possibly be found, containing, as it does, the foremost statesmen of the day —men well tried and found to be towers of strength tq the bulwarks of JState. That Mr. Astjuith should remain Prime Minister way a matter of course, for however brilliant are the gifts of his colleagues, he stands out to-day as the one political pilot that cannot be spared in this exceptional time of storm and stress, and none recognise this more than his erstwhile political opponents. Mr. Balfour, who so ably discharged the duties of Prime Minister for the Unionist Covernincnt, may be relied upon to give Mr. Asipiith whole-hearted assistance as First Lord of the Admiralty, a position that he will undoubtedly till with conspicuous ability and sound judgment. lie will l«ive an onerous and difhcult task, but. with Lord Fisher's co-operation, the weakness of Mr. Churchill's administration, with its consequent friction, will disappear. By ■temperament and intellectuality, Mr. Balfour is well fitted to work hand in hand with his colleagues so as to promote the best interests of the Empire. The same may be said of Lord Lambdowne, one of the most successful Foreign Ministers that have held office. Though for obvious reasons no portfolio has been assigned to Lord Landsdowne, liis advice and.-'exceptional diplomatic experience .should be of tiie greatest service, especially when the time comes for laying down the conditions of peace. The change in the Lonl Chancellorship comes somewhat as a surprise, not ihat Lord llaldane should have signed that oliice, but that his successor should be Sir ,Stanley !). Buckmasl or. who has been filling the ullice of Nuiiei-tor-tleneral. In the ordinary course of events it, would have been expected Ih.-u. this high oliice would have been cmife;l'ed uyon Sir John Simon, but lie, no doubt,'had good reasons for declining seat in the House of Lords, which the tenure of that oliice involves. Tie hi regarded as probably the most able lawyer of the day, and has had a most brilliant and rapid career at the Bar, but he has

preferred to take office as Home Secrstary, thereby adding greater dignity to a portfolio that lias not always attracted the foremost men. Lord Ilaldane, if, is rumored, may succeed Lord Hardinge as Viceroy of India. Probably one of the greatest surprises in the list of Ministers is the transference of Mr. McKenria to the Chancellorship of tiie Exchequer, a position which Mr. Lloyd George filled with so much credit tn.-t the bankers of London li;ul asked for his retention in that olliee, and it was understood that this had been agreed to. Instead of that, Mr. Lloyd George has undertaken one «f the most difficult and urgent tasks at the War Olliee by holding the newly created p'ostfolio of Minister of Munitions. It is a ease of bowing to necessity, and though great disappointment will be felt at the change, there is no question that Mr. Lloyd George acted in that patriotic spirit which actuates all the public men of England. It may be taken for granted that no other member of the Cabinet Was so likely to overcomo the difficulties in connection with munitions as Mi. Lloyd George, otherwise he. would not have' been called upoi to und"-lake a task for which most men would either lack courage or ability. Mr. Lonar Law has yet to prove his administrative ability. As an organiser, and somewhat of a firebrand, he attained a reputation over the Irish trouble, while his militant leadership of the Opposition parly 'brouglit out his latent powers and resourcefulness. At the Colonial Office he will have to don tiie velvet gloves, and to exhibit a tactt'ulness that lui3 not hitherto been remarkably in evidence. The responsibilities of office and the peculiar phases of Imperial affairs should have due eflect in bringing him into line with what is due to the self-governing dominions. Mr. Austen Chamberlain is well placed as Secretary of 'State! for India, and may be relied upon to act up to the highesf and best traditions of office. The retention of Lord Kitchener at the War (•ITiee was probably a matter of grave consideration, but the decision will" inspire confidence in the Government in its prosecution of the war to a successful close. Mr. Churchill still retains a seat in the Cabinet, and advisedly so, but he only holds a sinocure office. Whatever may have been his faults while at the Admiralty, he has a strong grip of the situation, and Bis voice in the supreme Council of the nation should prove useful. Mr. Long is deservedly included in the Ministry. Though not a brilliant statesman, he is possessed of sound judgment and considerable administrative ability. It is also gratifying to find that Lord Selborne has been included, and his large and varied experience and broad-minded views, coupled with high administrative ability, entitle him to participate in the work of Government. The inclusion of a Labor member, Mr. Henderson, should materially facilitate the successful handling of the labor problem that has proved such an obstacle in the past. The new Cabinet has many very strong personalities, but the intense spirit of patriotism that has brought this coalition into being may confidently be relied upon to suppress all asscrtiveness, and to so strengthen the hands of the Motherland that it will give an added impetus to our troops to haste the issue, now being fought out, and to arrive at a final Victory at the earliest possible moment.