2 FEBRUARY 1907, Page 3

The vacancies created by the promotion of Mr. McKenna and

the retirement of Mr. Ellis have now been filled up by the appointment of Mr. Walter Runciman to be Financial Secretary to the Treasury and of Mr. Charles Hobhouse to be Under- Secretary of State for India. Mr. Runciman, who entered Parliament in 1899, has sat for Dewsbury since 1902, and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board on the accession of the Liberals to office. His ability and tact have been further recognised by the arrangement that he should answer questions put to the Foreign Secretary on those days when Sir Edward Grey was occupied at the Foreign Office. Mr. Hobhouse, who entered Parliament in 1892, and in 1900 and 1908 was returned for East Bristol, acted as private secretary to Mr. Sydney Buxton at the Colonial Office in the Liberal Government of 1892-1895. The Parliamentary Secretaryship to the Local Government Board has been assigned to Dr. Macnamara, M.P. for Camberwell since 1900, who both as speaker and writer has made his mark as an educational expert.