POLITICAL "PLOTS"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18381, 23 April 1923, Page 7

POLITICAL "PLOTS"

EX-MINISTERS ACCUSED

CABAL AGAINST PREMIER.

MR. BONAR LAW'S HEALTH.

RETIREMENT RUMOURS. " INSPIRED BY INTRIGUE." By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 9.9 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. April 22. The Sunday Express, under the heading, "Secrets of the Plot Against the Premier," purports to reveal a plot behind the "crisis" last week, when Mr. Bonar Law's retirement, which has since been denied, was definitely announced in certain newspapers. It is alleged that the plotters' aim was to direct an attack against the stability of the Government because the Prime Minister is enfeebled. The press was inspired accordingly, but the plot failed. It is stated that this is not the first attempt to bring about Mr. Bonar Law's downfall by "first-class brains" omitted from the Government. The original plan was to make Mr. Austen Chamberlain Premier when Mr. Bonar Law was ousted, but Mr. Chamberlain received the affair coldly. Then the plotters decided that the Earl of Balfour should lead r the Government, so that the Earl of Birkenhead, Mr. Winston Churchill, and f Mr. Lloyd George could have posts while the principal Conservatives in office would be willing to continue serving. A difficulty then arose, it is alleged, because Mr. Lloyd George was uncertain that he could serve unless he could have his followers with him, notably, Sir Alfred Mond. The Sunday Express specifically states that Mr. Lloyd George, Mr. Churchill, and Lord Birkenhead lunched privately at the Savoy last Thursday. Lord Birkenhead, in a long article in the Sunday Times, states that the Conservative Party is being driven . swiftly, surely, and tragically to a debacle greater than that of 1906. He is awara ,of the allegation that his colleagues and himself have been taking subterranean steps with the object of forcing themselves on the Government, and he denies that any of them have the slightest desire to join the Government. He himself, when his judicial work is ended, is going for some months to the United States. He charges the Government with inefficiency and feebleness, and declares that there is one hope only, the Government , must enter the homes of the people. Mr. J. L. Garvin, in the Observer, says that unless the Government can be reconstructed on a broader basis, Mr. Bonar Law's position will be untenable within a measurable period. If Mr. Chamberlain had been willing to desert Lord Birkenhead and rejoin the Government separately, a change of Premiership would have occurred after a definite interval.

Lord Curzon on Saturday declared {Sat Mr. Bonar Law was in good health, and had no intention of resigning.