LABOUR MINISTRY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 113, 5 February 1924, Page 7

LABOUR MINISTRY

MR. THOMAS’S APPOINTMENT TO COLONIAL OFFICE EMIGRATION AND TRADE UNION PREJUDICES AUSTRALIA THE FUTURE GREATER BRITAIN Bi Telegraph—Press Association. —Copyright. (Rec. February 4, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 3. Sir Sidney Low, in an article in the “Weekly Dispatch,” commending Mr. Ramsay MacDonald’s appointment to the Colonial Office of Mr. J. H. Thomas, describes him as probably tho most energetic and capable of genuine Labourites. “His appointment will help to bring home to Labour, and to the English and Scotch working classes generally, a deeper, wider consciousness of the meaning and character of the Empire for whose governance and guidance they are now largely responsible. The attitude of the majority of the labouring people towards the outer Empire has been distrustful. The words ‘lmperial’ and ‘Empire’ stick in their throats. There is still a good deal of the old prejudice againsj; oversea expansion, handed down from early Victorian times. The nineteenth century Radical and Advanced Liberal, did not much like tho Empire. To them it bore the taint of monopoly, privilege, and militarism. “We are not peopling the vast and potentially rich Britannic areas beyond tho seas fast enough for their safety. or ours. This failure is partly due to the prejudice of the trade union leaders and orators inherited from th.iir Radical progenitors. They have not been enthusiastic over State-aided or philanthropic emigration schemes, and have sometimes suspected them of being mere devices of the. well-to-do for shipping the poor and ill-paid to distant lands, instead of properly providing for them at home Mr. Thomas, as a trade union Colonial Seeretarv, mav do much to counteract this. He will have opportunities of convincing his followers that Britain cannot endure a steady increase of her insular population, and that the surplus must go abroad, or sink to misery. “I believe that if the British people are still to play a part politically and industrially on the world stage they must have a larger island than this of ours. There is a larger island ready for them in Australia, which stands to Asia as Britain to Europe. Australia is the greater Britain of the future, if we don’t put off the future too long, till others take it from us.”—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. MR. THOMAS’S MESSAGE TO NEW ZEALAND REPLY FROM MR. MASSEY The telegram has been received by His Excellency the Gover-nor-General from the Secretary of State for thb Colonies:— On taking office as Secretary of State for the Colonies, I would ask you to assure your Prime Minister of my earnest desire to preserve and strengthen the system of consultation and co-operation between the several Governments on all matters of mutual concern. My first aim will always bo to promote the interests of the British Commonwealth, and I feel sure I can count upon receiving from yourself and your Prime Minister the same measure of assistance and advice extended to my predecessor.—Signed, Thomas. Thb following reply has been forwarded by Mr. Massey through the Governor-General: — On his return to New Zealand, my Prime Minister desires me to thank you for-the message contained in your telegram of January 24, and to convey his congratulations to you on your assuming the seals of the Colonial .Office. He states that he feels sure that, the harmonious relationship which as existed heretofore will be continued during your tenure of office, and that it will afford him. the greatest pleasure to co-operate in all matters having for their object the common good of ths Governments of thb Empire. BALANCE OF MINISTERIAL > APPOINTMENTS London, February 3. Minor Ministerial appointments include the following posts :—King’s Household: Mr. Tom Griffiths, Secretary; Mr. J. Parkinson, Comptroller; Mr. J. Davison, Vice-Chamberlain. Mr. Griffiths began life as a half-time tin-plate-worker, earning 4d. a day. Mr. Parkinson, commenced as a half-timer in the mines; and Mr. Davison in a boot factory. The duties in connection with the new appointments are mainly nominal. —Sydney “Sun” Cable. (Rea. February 4, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 3. The balance of the Ministerial appointments are now announced as follow: —Lords Commissioners of the Trensury, Mfessrs. William Graham, Frederick Hall, Thomas Kennedy, and John Robertson. —Reuter. THINGS WHICH GOVERNMENT COULD DO (Rec. February 4, 8.5 .m.) London, February 4. Mr. Davies, Under-Secretary for Home Affairs, speaking at Leeds, enumerated the things which the Labour Government could do—for . example, probation for first offenders instead of gaol, abolition of capital punishment, pensions for widows and mothers of families of killed coalminers, extension of housing and educational facilities, abolition of the gap in unemployment pay.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.