HOT A HAPPY FAMILY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13983, 14 August 1909, Page 6

HOT A HAPPY FAMILY.

CABINET DIFFERENCES. MR M'GOWAN LETS THE CAT OVTOFTHEBAG. HIS RESIGNATION EXPLAINED. An important statement was made by the Hon. Ja». M'Gowan at Thames oh Saturday. The occasion wa »• Presentation made to him by the Thames electors, and the ex-Minister let the cst out of the bag regardinghis retirement from the Cabinet,, making it evident that the Cabinet. is by no means the happy family Ministers constantly assert (says a special correspondent to The Dominion). He said that , he w pleased to have this opportunity of making the explanation. He "ad not been in complete accord with all the acts of the Government during tho last two years, and he had opposed some of the works carried out by the party. There had also been some slight disagreement between himself and one of the other members of tfce Cabinet with regard to a certain road. This, tonether with the fact that considerable difficulty arose at the time of the reconstruction of the Ministry, had induced him to inform the Prime Minister that he was quite willing to stand aside if his doing so would be any pssistance in bringing about a 8»t> 8 : factory settlement. This offer had been accepted without any misunderstanding between himself and Sir Joseph Ward. The most cordial feeling still existed between them with regard to his resignation aa member for tbr Thames. This was brought about, continued Mr. M'Gowan, by the fact that as already stated, he was not in accord with all the policy of the party, and while his past connection with the party would in a measure have compelled him to vote with them on at ! least all critical occasions, he would have felt bound to openly criticise their action during discussions in the • House. He would thus have beer ] placed in a difficult posrtflm, which I would appear inconsistent, and this had induced him to send in his resignetion. |