BUDGET INQUIRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22437, 5 June 1936, Page 11

BUDGET INQUIRY

SEQUEL AWAITED

MR. THOMAS' POSITION SYMPATHETIC LETTERS MR. BATES' REFUNDS By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. LONDON. June 3 The former Colonial Secretary, Mr. J. 11. Thomas, was early astir this morning. He gave a message to reporters at 7 a.m. that he did not intend adding to the statement he had made yesterday. Then Mr. Thomas settled down to read the newspaper reports and leading articles on the Budget tribunal's findings. A policeman was stationed at his house to prevent disturbances. Mr. Thomas' election agent stated that he did not intend calling the committee together until he heard from Mr. Thomas. The electors of Derby certainly did not want to trouble him at such a time. Mr. Thomas land a document, signed by every member of his committee, requesting him to take into consideration their desire that lie should continue to represent Derby. Mr. Thomas, on arrival at Ferring from London, said he did not know how long his stay would be. "I do not want to bo bothered," he added. Ho received a huge mail, including hundreds of sympathetic letters from all classes of people, including many railway workers. The general view of Mr. Thomas' future is that the moral compulsion to resign his Privy Councillorship will be the strongest, whatever he decides about his seat in the House of Commons, as Privy Councillors swear an oath of secrecy. It is pointed out that the late Lord Asquith took this course, during the debate on the Marconi affair in 1913, as one "of the rules of positive obligation" was that Ministers must not "use official information for their own or their friends' private profit." The Manchester Guardian, in an editorial, states: "Although the tribunal finds that the leakage came from Mr. Thomas, it is important and only fair to him to recognise that there is no suggestion that he did it for personal gain." Mr. Alfred Bates' solicitor, in a statement. said that Mr. Bates, while adhering to his evidence, does not desire, in view of the tribunal's report, to make profit from his insurances, and therefore has sent his brokers cheques for the amounts paid to him, less premiums and plus their collecting commission.

An account' of the evidence given before the Budget tribunal, and photographs, appear on page 15 of this issue.