MR J. H. THOMAS’ BOOK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20671, 9 March 1937, Page 11

MR J. H. THOMAS’ BOOK

PUBLICATION OF MEMOIRS REFERENCE TO RESIGNATION LONDON, February 27. After its last-minute withdrawal for corrections, caused by five insertions of the words “New Zealand” for “Newfoundland,” Mr J. H. Thomas’ book, “My Story,” has been published. The book contains only one reference to the author’s resignation from the Cabinet, as the result of allegations that he made premature disclosures of certain Budget information. In a preface addressed to his wife, Mr Thomas complains that he was “humiliated’ by a morbid and sensational press. Mr Thomas alleges that, as a trade union leader, he was made scapegoat for the “Black Friday’ of 1921, when the unions called off the national coal strike. He says the railway strike of 1920, when he was secretary of the railway union, was a blunder. The book contains a recital of the anxieties and troubles of the leaders of the general strike of 1926. While he was Dominions Secretary, Mr Thomas writes, he learned that King George V. proposed, on account of ill-health to abandon his usual Christmas broadcast. He went to His Majesty with letters from British subjects overseas, who expresed deep appreciation of the Kings Christmas radio messages. Mr Thomas says he emphasised to King George the disappointment which these subjects would feel if the broadcast were dropped. The King read some of the letters, nod/.td, and said simply, that he would go ahead with the broadcast as usual.