CABINET REVELATIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5134, 28 November 1903, Page 11

CABINET REVELATIONS

A CRISIS AND ITS MUTUAL HISTORY. (From Our' Own Correspondent.) LONDON. October 2. Political surprises .have almost lost their power to astonish a bewildered public, and so extraordinary and so rapid has been tho course of events within the last few weeks. The latest developments in tho situation have' but added, to the general bewilderment. Thursday's papers published tho long-delayed letters in which Mr Ritchieaiid Lord George Hamilton announced to the Prime Minister the resignation of their respective portfolios and tho circumstances revealed by tho letters wove sufficiently remarkable to call for explanation. The "Standard," which perhaps of all the papers has been •in.closest touch with the present'Government, confesses itself completely puzzled. "We arc," declared that journal, "in tho presence of an episode which, so far as wo can recollect, has no parallel or procedont^in our political history. It must be evident to tho least experienced politician that tho documents which have boon made publics;do hot tell tho whole story,, nor is it tor be gleaned from tho facts which are as yet known to the world. There are missing passages’in tin’s remarkable chapter which our available information does not enable us to supply, but which' we must presume will in duo course bo furnished by those who alone nossoss tho necessary knowledge. Until that information is forthcoming we are in a distressing state of darkness." It was not the letters themselves which suggested a mystery. * They set forth, it is true, tho motives which actuated the respective writers in resigning from the Cabinet, but those motives were already familiar to tho public and tho letters throw no fresh light upon tho political situation. Tho .interest lies in an accompanying letter* which Lord George sent to an Acton constituent, in which the ex-Sccretary of State for India asserts that. His letter of resignation was written on September 15th, in ignorance of Mr Chamberlain's resignation' and of tho consequent elimination of all that related to tariffs from the Government programme.; Tho letter went on to say: "The first intimation I received of the great change that- had been settled came to ma through a morning newspaper of the 18th. That newspaper aiso 'contained the gazette of the acceptance of my resignation. ■ . This is the point of which a satisfactory explanation was not forthcoming. Mr Chamberlain's letter of resignation, it will b» remembered, was written on Sexitember 9fch. "in anticipation of the important Cabinet which is to meet on Monday" (five days later). The Cabinet meeting was held, arid accordinir to Lord George Hamilton, the fact that Mr Cham-; bcrla’in's resignation was already in the Prime Minister’s possession was kept a secret from at least one incmber-of the Cabinet. ‘What; occurred in Cabinet, tho public hove never learned, but the Chan> collor of the Exchoauer and the Secretary of State for. India.-both resigned on following day. Their resignations, together with that of Mr Chamberlain, were made public on the following Fridav,. and it was not till then, when saw the news in the morning papers, that Lord Georgo learned .that the Colonial Secretary had resigned some days before the Cabinet meeting which determined his own- course of action. The comments of some of the lcad : ng journals are interesting. The "Standard" suggests that there may have' been good and sufficient reasons why the in-, formation regarding Mr Chamberlain's resignation was withheld from Lord George, "reason of etiquette, or of a. valid rd-Tsonal and Constitutional nature." v The "Morning Post" was more outspoken in.its loading article on Thursday last.. The circumstances of the affair were declared to be "sufficiently astonishing to raise soma doubts as to how far tho general conception of what constitutes a Government in this country are well founded.." .“Wo have had a peep behind the scenes," added the same journal, "and tho impression it leaves is not a pleasant one. But it sometimes happens that fuller knowledge dispels the unpleasant first impression—and to-night wo may have fuller knowledge vouchsafed to us." The "Times," on the other hand, expressed the opinion that Lord George's letter of resignation proved incontestably that his ignorance of Mr Chamberlain's resignation, had nothing to do with the matter. "His letter r o Mr Balfour," says the "Times," "shows that he is as much opposed , to Mr Balfour's policy as to that which Mr Chamberlain left the Cabinet to advocate'on his own account, . , . . It is a mistake to pose as a man with a grievance unless a grievance can bo thoroughly made out."