CLUB RUMOURS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 22 May 1923, Page 5

CLUB RUMOURS

LABOUR FEELING,

1\ GBEAT SHOCK AND SURPRISE,

LONDON, May 21

The King and Queen are spending a -week at Aldershot and are due to return .to London on Friday, but the "Sing is only an hour's drive from town in the event of the crisis necessitating Ills presence at Buckingham Palace.

A Court circular, dated from the Boyal pavilion at Aldershot, states the King received a letter from Mr Bonar Xaw, in which the latter, on the urgent Tecommendation of his, medical advisers, tenders his resignation. The •circular adds: "The King received the communication with the deepest regret." The clubs were buzzing with rumours ;and speculations all day. Many members of the House of Commons altered their holiday arrangements in order to ■remain in town, and others hurriedly 3-eturned from the country and seaside, including Mr Stanley Baldwin (Chancellor of the Exchequer), who spent the ■day in town and then went to Chequers ■Court.

Mr Bonar" Law did not nominate his successor. This is not the practice -«rhen it is a case of direct succession -within a party, when the King uses his ■own discretion. Another feature of the .crisis is that the Ministers appointed in connection with the change will not require to risk by-elections, as the nine months since the general election do aiot expire until August. During recent weeks there have been several efforts to heal the breach with the Coalition Unionist Ministers. Sir