MIGHTY POTENTIALITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 10 December 1936, Page 7

MIGHTY POTENTIALITIES.

EMPIRE ON EVE OF GRAVEST CLIMAX.

LAST WORDS HAVE APPARENTLY BEEN SPOKEN.

MOST MOMENTOUS ANNOUNCEMENT TO-MORROW.

(Keceivcd 1.30 p.m.)

LONDON, December 9.

There is a widespread feeling to-night that the climax of the crisis, fraught with mighty potentialities for the British Empire, will be reached to-morrow. All signs indicate that Mr. Baldwin, when he makes his statement in the House of Commons, will have a most momentous announcement to make of the final decision on a problem which for a week has occupied the mind not only of the King himself, the best brains of statesmen and the highest legal advisers of the land, but the minds of British people throughout the Empire and of the nations of the world. The last words before that announcement have apparently been spoken. Cabinet, which met and sat for two hours and a half this morning, conferred again this evening for an hour, after which, it was stated there would be no further meeting before the assembly of the House of Commons to-morrow. Mr. Baldwin, however, conferred briefly late this evening with Sir John Simon, and for a longer time with Mr. Walter Monckton, the King s AttorneyGeneral. The most dramatic incident of the day became known only when the Court Circular was issued this evening from Marlborough House. This stated that Queen Mary, accompanied by the Princess Royal and the Earl o Athlone, visited the King in the afternoon. The last meeting between mother and son was on the night of Thurs ay last, when the King drove to Marlborough House from Buckingham Palace before going to Fort Belvedere. Another interesting incident was that the Duke of York this afternoon was apparently relieving the Duke of Kent at Fort Belvedere. The latter had been there all night. It has been noted that one or other of his brothers has . been with the King almost throughout the crisis, while Mr. Monckton has slept at Fort Belvedere many nights in succession. Mr. Monckton's movements yesterday were again divided between Fort Belvedere and Downing Street and Buckingham Palace. The Duke of York returned to his Piccadilly residence late this evening, when it was noticed he looked pa e and worn. The Duchess, with the Princesses, were waiting to receive him.