7 MARCH 1931, Page 2

The New Australian Cabinet The new Australian Cabinet shows Mr.

Scullin in the ascendant. At the meeting of the Federal Labour Caucus on Monday all the Ministries were declared vacant, and a ballot was taken to fill the posts. Mr. Scullin was re-elected Prime Minister by a very large majority, and Mr. Theodore was elected as his deputy. The repudiation- ists were all defeated. Although Mr. Scullin has had a very considerable victory over the extremists, it cannot be said that he has won a victory for retrenchment in the way that it was planned by Sir Otto Niemeyer. He and Mr. Theodore are determined to go forward with their inflationary scheme by means of an issue of £18,000,000 of fiduciary currency. It is thought that a General Election cannot be far off, but we feel more confident than ever that the Australians will manfully live down their troubles. Hare-brained proposals like repudiation are being pelted with ridicule. * * * *