MUST RESIGN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXL, Issue 20259, 7 November 1935, Page 11

MUST RESIGN

FEDERAL CABINET’S MESSAGE TO MR HUGHES United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, Noveijioer 6. The Melbourne correspondent of “The Sydney Morning Herald" says: Mr Hughes appealed unsuccessfully to Mr Lyons for a review of the decision to demand his resignation, and Mr Hughes will resign front the Cabinet. He left for Canberra last night. RESIGNATION TENDERED RESULTS IN POLITICAL LIVELINESS □nltad Press Association— flj Electric Telecrapn~T Copyright (Receive'd November 6, 11.30 p.m. CANBERRA, November 6. The resignation of Mr W. M. Hughes (Minister of Health) was handed to the Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons) to-day. Later, when the House met, Mr Lyons attempted to make a statement, but when Labour members objected, the Speaker refused leave. Considerable disorder followed. Mr Lyons, greatly angered, resumed his seat, and the debate op the Sanctions Bill was taken up. Mr Hughes thus obtained his chance to explain his attitude. Mr Hughes’s Explanation Mr Hughes intinrated that he intended to support the measure now, and he had proposed to support it when the debate' commenced. He quoted lengthily from his book “Australia and War To-day,” and claimed that the hook was written chiefly with the object of arousing Australians to the realisation of the danger in which the country stood. He denied that his attitude in regard to the League of Nations was incompatible with that of the Government. The lesson he sought to drive home was that it would be most dangerous to rest calmly in the belief that the League could always preserve peace. He was prepared to stand or fall by that statement. "Surely," he added, “it is a pious hope to expect Signor Mussolini to be turned from his path by a mere gesture.” Mr Lyons tabled the correspondence that had passed between himself and Mr Hughes, and the debate on the motion for printing this correspondence was adjourned. Alleged Unfairness Mr J. Curtin, Leader of the Opposition, contended that Mr Hughes had been unfairly treated. His attitude was that of any other thinking person, namely that an economic blockade, to be effective, must be backed by force, Which would inevitably lead to war. A sensation was caused by the announcement on Saturday that the Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons) had sent a telegram to Mr Hughes, asking for his resignation from the Ministry, owing to his attitude toward sanctions, contained in a book he had just published, called “Australia and the War To-day."