MESSAGE TO N.Z. GOVERNMENT

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21961, 9 December 1936, Page 13

MESSAGE TO N.Z. GOVERNMENT

' ♦- “NOTHING FURTHER TO REPORT” STATEMENT BY MR SAVAGE (I’RKSS ASSOCIATION TELEGHAJi.) WELLINGTON, December 8. There was a long meeting of the Cabinet this morning. All the Ministers were present. Tue Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) said at 1 o’clock that apart from the receipt by the Government of the text of Mr Baldwin's statement to the House of Commons there had been no further developments. The Government had been led to expect that there would be a definite development to-day: but that expectation had not been realised. Mr Savage said it was impossible for him to give any indication when j news might be expected. It* might j come at any time. j In reply to a question whether he j could make any statement about j the part the Dominions would fol- i low in the event of abdication, the. Prime Minister said he did not care to make any comment. j At the Cabinet's meeting to-day the constitutional crisis was only mentioned and was not discussed. The Jay was given to normal administrative business. After the Cabinet rose late in the afternoon., Mr Savage said the L.est message from the British Government could be described best and almost literally as that there was nothing further to report or say about the situation. Meanwhile the members of the Cabinet would not be called upon to sit and wait for developments. , “If the position changes." added Mr Savage, “the Cabinet of course will meet at once; but that does not seem likely at the moment.” HON. A. HAMILTON TO GO TO WELLINGTON I PRIME MINISTER’S REQUEST • (I'KKSS ASSOCIATION TELKIiI’.A JI.) INVERCARGILL, December 8. The leader of the Opposition (the Hon. Adam Hamilton) will leave for Wellington by the express tomorrow morning. He has received a request from the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) that he should go to Wellington, as a need for his presence there might arise. AUSTRALIAN CABINET MEETS MR LYONS MAY MAKE A STATEMENT (Received December 9, 12.30 a.m.i CANBERRA, December 8. After a Cabinet meeting to-day the Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons) stated that if no decisive information had been received from London by the time the House met to-mor-row, he would make a brief statement, and after that adjourn. Mr Lyons said to-day that there wa’s no ground for the impression overseas that the Commonwealth Government, by summoning Parliament, was in any way trying to force the constitutional issue in the present crisis. Parliament had been summoned merely as a precautionary measure, the Government having no definite proposition to place before it. Mr Lyons consider" that definite information about the King’s position may arrive early to-morrow.