NEW CABINET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 August 1941, Page 5

NEW CABINET

INSTALLED IN AUSTRALIA . MR MENZIES RETAINED. AS MINISTER FOR CO-ORDINATION OF DEFENCE. CANBERRA, August 29. Mr A. W. Fadden, the new Prime Minister of Australia, look the oath of office today, when the new Cabinet was sworn in. Air Fadden is retaining his former post as Federal Treasurer and Air Menzies is still to be Minister for Co-ordination of Defence. The fact that there might be an extensive Cabinet reshuffle after the Budget had been dealt with next month was mentioned by Mr Fadden. The Governor-General has been assured that there will be no radical change in. Government policy.

PLANS & PROJECTS LABOUR TO ATTACK BUDGET. COUNTRY PARTY DENIAL OF PLOT. CANBERRA, August 29. Mr Menzies, it is revealed, has not yet resigned the leadership of the United Australia Party. He is expected to do so shortly, and may then go to London as a Minister of State. At the United Australia Party meeting when Mr Menzies announced his intention of resigning, Mr A. W. Coles (Melbourne) attacked the rank and file of the party for forcing Mr Menzies out, and said that he would leave the party and become an Independent again. Mr Coles was elected as an Independent last September. He joined the U.A.P. two months ago. Government members declared last night that Labour has “missed the bus” by not launching its threatened attack in Parliament yesterday. Labour members said that their plans to attack on the Budget would not be altered by the change in the Prime Ministership, but Government members contended that public confidence would be badly shaken by Labour’s vacillation, and that Labour’s chance has gone. The Parliamentary session ended quietly last night and resumes on September 17. The Federal Parliamentary Country Party, at a special meeting yesterday, carried a resolution condemning as “malicious and mischief-making” a report in the Sydney “Daily Telegraph” to the effect that the Country Party was engaged in a plot to obtain the Prime Ministership. The resolution said that the Country Party had not even discussed the leadership of the Government and demanded that the newspaper should give prominence to its denial equal to that given the incorrect report. REGRET IN LONDON AT LOSS OF MR MENZIES. LONDON. August 29. London newspapers generally regret the resignation of Mr Menzies. The “Daily Express” says: “Maybe we are overstepping our position in advising Australia but in. the interests of all the English-speaking countries we say in a straightforward manner that we like Mr Menzies and do not want to lose him.” The “Daily Mail” hopes that some method will be found whereby Mr Menzies will become the Australian Cabinet representative in London.

BRIEF LIFE FORETOLD FOR FADDEN MINISTRY. MR MENZIES NOT GOING TO LONDON. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) CANBERRA, August 29. It was officially stated that Mr Menzies has decided that in any circumstances he will not go to London as “Minister extraordinary.” The Independent (Mr Wilson) who holds the balance of power in an even-ly-divided House declared his conditional support for the new Government. He is willing to give it every chance to prove itself. The Labour Party has undertaken for the time being to continue full cooperation on the War Advisory Council. Mr Fadden assured pressmen today that he intends to take every possible step to avoid an election and by a policy of compromise try to retain the help and co-operation of Labour. He said that no steps had been' taken to appoint a Minister to London but negotiations would be opened immediately with the British Prime Minister with that end in view. Mr Curtin commented on the sudden change of leadership and said that, all he had said in his letter to Mr Menzies on Tuesday had been borne out abundantly. “For three weeks while very grave conditions existed abroad dissension and intrigue on the Government side demoralised the Australian Government. This now calls for reflection on the part of every Australian citizen.” Doctor Evatt (Labour) raised doubts regarding the constitutional procedure whereby Mr Fadden has become Prime (Minister. Dr Evatt questioned whe- ■ (her Mr Fadden was in any better position than Mr Menzies to provide a stable Government and it would be interesting to know what assurance he [gave the Governor-General on the subject. Indeed Mr Fadden’s prospect, was worse since overnight. At least one Government member (Mr Coles) had seceded from the fold. The impression prevails that the Fadden Government is doomed to a brief existence. Some of the more candid Labourites are already declaring that Labour cannot possibly tolerate fl Government led by the leader of the smallest party in the House whose policy is fundamentally opposed to Labour. Mr Curtin said Mr Fadden would receive neither less nor greater co-

operation than Labour had given Mr Menzies. Tonight’s Sydney Sun, in an editorial commenting on “Fadden’s Herculean Task,” says: “He has still to resolve the most desperate political situation. If he is able to produce a stable workable Government out of the political confusion that still exists he will indeed perform a miracle. The major fact is that the strength of the Government parties and the Opposition remains the same and Mr Curtin has already made it clear that a mere change of leadership will make no difference to the Opposition. The inference to be drawn from this is that Labour' is intent on wrecking the Government and securing the reins of power.”

The editorial adds: “Most observers will see in the change of leadership a recognition that the Parliamentary deadlock can be solved only by an election.”