HEAD OF PARTY

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29270, 30 July 1960, Page 13

HEAD OF PARTY

Garfield Todd Resigns (Rec. 8 p.m.) SALISBURY (Southern Rhodesia), July 29. New Zealand-born Mr Garfield Todd has resigned from the leadership of the Liberal Central Africa Party. Mr Todd, a former Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia, on Tuesday appealed to Britain’s Commonwealth Relations Secretary (then Lord Home) in London for suspension of the Federation's Constitution. He asked for British troops to be sent to Rhodesia.

No reason for his resignation was given. In the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council yesterday, Dr. D. J. Burrows, a member of the governing United Federal Party, said Mr Todd could expect a "grim” welcome if he ever returned to Southern Rhodesia.

“I believe one group- of people intends hanging him upside down from a lamp-post on his arrival at the airport.” Dr. Burrows said. Referring to Mr Todd’s suggestion, Dr. Burrows said: "There is only one name for that kind of behaviour and that is/ treason.”

Mr Todd, a missionary turned politician, has had one of the most meteoric careers in the history of Rhodesiap politics. After only seven years in the Southern Rhodesian Parliament, he was plucked from the back benches to become Prime Minister in 1953. But early in 1958 his Cabinet revolted against his leadership, and Sir Edgar Whitehead took over as Prime Minister. Sir ' Edgar Whitehead also replaced Mr Todd as the Southern Rhodesian United Federal Party leader, and gave him a post in his Cabinet. But Mr Todd resigned from both Cabinet. and party in April, 1958, and re-formed the United Rhodesia Party for the elections in- June last year.

Mr Todd and his candidates were, however, swept from the field, and from then until the formation ’of the Central Africa Party in February, 1959, he was out of the political limelight. 'No reason was given for his resignation last night.