EX-MINISTER’S LAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 May 1936, Page 7

EX-MINISTER’S LAMENT

MR THOMAS AND SON

(BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, May 28

“I am a broken-hearted man,” said Rt. Hon. J. IT. 'Thomas (who has resigned from the Cabinet). He is staying with friends in Devon. To a representative of “The Mirror” he said: “What was the inquiry about? To find out what they could about Jim Thomas! I have been in public life for forty-live years. Now they do this to me! Can you blame me. if I feel bitter?” He declared that he did rfotintend to make any full statement until the Tribunal’s findings are published. “Then I may speak my mind,” he said.

He complained of members of his family being persecuted. He asked: “What has my son Leslie done? He is an innocent victim, who has been put into the pillory. Besides resigning from his firm, he has had to resign from a Town Council, where he was doing useful work. He is being hounded from public life!” The “Daily Mail’s” political correspondent says: The Budget Tribunal’s report will suggest, methods for the ensuring of closer Budget secrecy in future, including a rule that the Chancellor's proposals shall be communicated only to the Prime Minister, instead of to the full Cabinet. THE NEW MINISTER. (Recd. May 29, 11 a.m.) LONDON. May 28. It is announced that Rt. Hon. W. G. A. Ormsby-Gore will succeed Mr Thomas as Secretary to the Colonies. The official report on the Budget leakage will be issued on June 2.