COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY.

Wairarapa Age, 13 March 1922, Page 4

COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY.

The resignation of the Secretary for India as the outcome of the publication of a telegram from the Indian Government rests upon the theory of the "collective responsibility of Cabinet.” It is a recognised convention of government in British countries that the whole Cabinet shall be responsible for the acts of one of its number. This, of course, necessitates any member of the Cabinet referring to his colleagues any matter upon which there may be a question, in order that they may exercise the-r .-judgment upon it. This is just wdiat Mr Montagu did not do. The con tents of the celebrated telegram were evidently such that the other member?

of the Government had a right to sny whether it was in the public interest that it. should be made public. Heart., in his "Government of England,” says-: "Each Minister acts in his ov. n department as the recognised agent of his colleagues in that particular department. But in all cases on which any difficulty is likely to arise each Minister, from motives not merely of prudence but of honour, takes the opinion of the Cabinet.” It is easy to imagine what entanglements might arise from failure to follow out this rule. The present crisis is a case iu point, and Mr Lloyd George has decided tha£r it is impossible for the Secretary for India to remain 'longer in the Cabinet.