SIR DONALD MACLEAN DEAD

Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1932, Page 7

SIR DONALD MACLEAN DEAD

NOTABLE SERVICE TO BRITAIN.

BOARD OF EDUCATION PRESIDENT.

British Wireless. Bugby, June 15. Sir Donald Mac Lean, President of trie Board of Education, died unexpectedly at his London home this afternoon from heart failure.

He had been attending his departmental duties until within the last few days and was present at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday of last week. During the political crisis of last August Sir Donald Mac Lean took a prominent part with his fellow Liberal leader, Sir Herbert Samuel, in the negotiations which finally led to the establishment of the first National Government. He became Minister of Education on that occasion and retained the portfolio when the National Cabinet was formed after the general eletcion in November. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, the Prime Minister, and his colleagues at Lausanne, Sir John Simon, Mr. Neville Chamberlain and Mr. Walter Runciman, were much distressed when the news of Sir Donald’s death was conveyed to them, and they at once dispatched a message of condolence to the widow.

The Minister of Agriculture, Sil - John Gilmour, during a debate in the House of Commons, said that the earliest possible opportunity would be taken of paying a suitable tribute to Sir Dqnald Mac Lean, the news of whose death halt caused his Cabinet colleagues and members of Parliament deep sorrow. Sir Donald Mac Lean was born in Kil«, moluag, Argyllshire. He took the LL.D, degree at Cambridge and after practising as a solicitor entered polities, being elected as Liberal member for Bath in 1906. He later represented the Peebles and Selkirk constituency (191 Q-18 and Peebles and South Midlothian (19181922). He was deputy-chairman of Committee of the House of Commons (19111918) and was appointed chairman of the Liberal Parliamentary Party (19191922). His brother, Sir Ewen (John) Mac Lean is a famous doctor.