EARLY BREAK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 November 1938, Page 5

EARLY BREAK

IN RECONSTRUCTED FEDERAL MINISTRY

MR T. W. WHITE RESIGNS OBJECTIONS TO INNER COURT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. CANBERRA, November 8. After the Prime Minister, Mr J. A. Lyons, had announced the reconstruction of the Federal Cabinet today the Minister of Customs, Mr T. W. White created a surprise in the House of Representatives by announcing his resignation from the new Ministry. Mr White’s resignation occurred soon after he had been sworn into the reconstructed Cabinet. He said that his action was due to his objection to the formation of an inner Cabinet. He expressed the opinion that this was tantamount to putting Government policy into the hands of a coterie, constituting a departure from democratic principles. The Prime Minister, in a reply, denied any such intention, and declared that the whole aim of the inner Cabinet was to save time. Whatever proposals were formulated would go finally to the Cabinet, to which responsibility for the decisions would attach. While the Prime Minister was reading the correspondence between himself and Mr White, the proceedings were very stormy. VACANCY FILLED. MR J, A. PERKINS APPOINTED. CANBERRA, November 8. Mr J. A. Perkins, who was appointed without portfolio in the recent reconstructed Cabinet, to assist the Minister of Commerce, replaces Mr White as 'Minister of Customs.