MR J. H. THOMAS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 33

MR J. H. THOMAS.

MOTION FOR EXCLUSION. FROM COLONIAL INSTITUTE PROCEEDINGS AT ANNUAL MEETING. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON. May 21. There was a good attendance at yesterday’s annual meeting of the Royal Colonial Institute, presided over oy Lord Stanley of Alderley, who carried on the tradition of chairmen of the past who have made this yearly function the opportunity of taking a wide survey of Empire. This practice, he said, was Fallowed by antiquity. The institute as a body was concerned with the affairs of the Empire. The customary even tenor of the meeting was disturbed by a motion, proposer Mr de Little (Victoria), seconder, Major H. Hely Pounds (Australia and New Zealand)—that the name of the Rt. Hon. J. H. Thomas be deleted from the proposed list of new vice-presidents of the institute, ‘’considering what had happened during the last fortnight.” Both these gentlemen rose together when the names of the vicepresidents came up for confirmation, but Mr de Little happened first to catch the chairman s eye. Eventually, however, the motion was withdrawn. Among Fellows present were Sir C. M‘Leod, Sir G. Lagden, Sir C. Lucas, Mr Sandeman Allen, M.P., Sir James Mills, Sir T. Mackenzie, Admiral Sir E. R. Fremantle, Sir J. Cockburn, Mr C. J. Wray, Sir A. Rickard, Mr H. Green. Mr W Bulkley-Evans, and Mr Carnegie-Ross. This year, owing to the upsetting of most social events, due to the general strike, the annua] banquet of the Royal Colonial Institute has been cancelled, but the chair, man read two cable messages from the Dominion—messages which ordinarily are read at the dinner. The Canterbury branch sent cordial greetings and all good wishes to the president, council, and members. The Gisborne branch sent greetings *nd best wishes, adding: “May united Empire ever shine as a beacon for industrial unity.” VALUE OF THE DOMINIONS* OFFICE. The year 1925-26, said the chairman, would he remembered as one in which marked progress had been made upon the lines on which the British Empire was founded—though there had been temporary setbacks which had caused dismay in some hearts and anxiety in all. It had been a year of hope rather than of disappointment, of expectation, rather than of dismay. Touching upon the newly-created Dominions Office, he said it was an anomaly which had been long felt in this country and overseas that the administration of the overseas parts of the Empire should he all lumped together under one office. Obviously, the problems which had to be dealt with under the Dominions* Office were different. The requirements of the dominions were different from those of the colonies properly so-called, and needed to be dealt with by separate departments. The word colonies, too, had become obsolete. People in the Homeland did not look upon a visitor from Australia or Canada as a “colonial,” but as a fellowmember of a self-governing community of thi Empire, having the same ideal of government as British people had possessed for the last 300 years. There was in fact a vast difference between the administration of the colonies properly so-called and the dealings which were almost now becoming more of a diplomatic rather than an administrative matter; the dealings between the self-governing dominions and the Home Government. That feeling had been interpreted in this country none too soon, and wisely interpreted by the setting up of a Dominions’ Office as a separate department, dealing with the separate problems, and entirelv different from those more detailed problems of business admin istration which fell properly to the Colonial Office. The Dominions’ Office could deal directly with the dominions without being hampered and Sometimes misled because the Colonial Office had two separate functions to perform. Lord Stanley of Alderly, of course, spoke of Locarno, Geneva and the recent general strike. Upon the history of the strike* Englishmen could look back with pride. A country that had no troubles had no history; a country that had no difficulty, had no soul. He referred with appreciation to the services of the youthmen an * women—during the st-ike and the light-hearted manner in which they so efficiently carried on their work and so helped to bring the crisis to a close. The gay-sweatered men and the shinglcd-headed young woman may have seemed somewhat exurberant and too enthusiastic to the older members of the community, but they had carried on successfully in accordance with their votflhful spirit.

The Prince of Wales was now fairly well acquainted with all the self-governing dominions and many of the colonies over which he would one day be called to rule. “The Prince is a man who fully realises the obligations of his position—he realises it with the same wnv as the young men and young ftomefr helped to combat the strike —hut be realises it without self glorification He is a human man, doing everything with the exuberance of youth, but is none the worse for that.” “The Royal Colonial Institute is the premier Empire society,” said the chairman, with reference to the establishment of the monthly city luncheon, of which Empire addresses are to he a feature. By this means a nnmher of people in the city would be enabled to glean some informa-

tion regarding the wider aspects of business. Oue Fellow took exception to the word “colonial” in the title of the institute, and he inquired why the number of Feliows in the last year seemed to have fallen off compared with the previous twelve months. The Chairman replied that there had been a number of deaths among members, and that during 1924—the first year of Wembley—there had been a number of visitors who then became members. As to the title, a referendum had been taken by members on a change of name, but that referendum had turned the proposal down. The object was to unite everybody in a united title, but the difficulty was to find that title. THE VICE-PRESIDENTS. The confirmation of the following appointments as vice-presidents, made by the council during the past year, was proposed:—Lord Forster, Admiral of the Fleet, Earl Jellicoe, Lord Lloyd of Dolobran, Sir Charles C. M‘Leod, Mr W. Pember Reeves, and Mr J. H. Thomas, M.P. Mr de Little here rose and said there was one name to which he took exception, “considering what bad happened during the past fortnight”—that of the Right Hon. J. H. Thomas. Rising to reply, Lord Stanley of Aiderley said it was questionable whether all the implications of what took place at the end of a rather difficult emotional and soul-stirring time should be judged as Mr de Little proposed to judge them. He very much doubted whether, in the minds of the ordinary rank and file of the strikers, there was any desire or intention to subvert the political conditions of this country. He felt it was the hounden duty of everyone who valued and respected our traditional Government to resist attempts which were made to alter it They must remember that circum stances had altered, that there had been a recognition not merely on the part of the people of this country, but on the part of the trade union leaders, that the results which would have followed, and which were about to follow, the consequences of their endeavour would have been far other than they intended. He must re mind them that every previous Secretary of State for the dominions and colonies had been invited to be a vioe-president of the institute. Mr Thomas was one of the first to see the necessary results of the action into which natural sympathy led him. They must remember that this strike, dangerous, and lawless as it was, was a strike inspired by no ignoble ideals, and not entirely lacking in sympathy with men whose case was admitted to have been a bard one. Let them look on the past fortnight as a temporary aberration on the part of those who took a share in it. He urged them not to carry into effect this proscription, which might have evil effects. As seconder of the motion, Major H. Hely Pounds regretted that the chairman had" not let him follow the proposer. He then spoke at considerable length and snbmitted that Fellows in all parts of the country should be asked to vote on the matter. He said the matter was an Empire matter, and that Mr Thomas had been one of a number of people doing their best to disentegrate the Empire. Opposing the motion, Sir Charles Lucas MMild not say how deeply he regretted it beincr brought on. The Prime Minister had told them to put away recriminations and bitterness. The mover and seconder had proposed to make Mr Thomas the one exception to the rule that Secretaries of State for the Colonies should be in the list of vice-presidents. He suggested that the motion should be withdrawn. He asked them not to allow it to go forth that they were taking the lead in trying to increase ill-will and bring tack bitterness. Sir Godfrey Lagden said that it was a well-known thing in Government circles that Mr Thomas was an excellent Secretary of State for the Colonies. There was nothing unconstitutional there was not a single thing which Mr Thomas, as holder of that important office, could look back upon with any regret for having done. Mr Sandeman Allen, M.P., spoke as one who had followed the crisis through in Parliament, and followed it in every detail. The institute did not in any way staud for any class or for any particular set of people. They must work together, bury the hatchet, and get everybody in the right mood to co-operate together If they passed this motion they would arouse regret right through the world if the institute started an action of the kind. He was perfectly satisfied that ft would be a very sad and unfortunate thing if it were done. While every man who tried to ride two horses at the same time was bound to come to grief, he did not believe the country knew the true part which Mr Thomas had taken. Four other members spoke asking that the motion be withdrawn. Mr de Little then said he would do this, and Major 11. H. Pounds did likewise. The meeting agreed to this course, and the original resolution was then passed. A letter was sent to the Prime Minister congratulating him on his efforts to bring about industrial peace.