MONTAGU HITS BACK.

Wairarapa Age, 13 March 1922, Page 5

MONTAGU HITS BACK.

“THE GENIUS DICTATOR.” BEAL BEASON EOR DISMISSAL. (Press Association—Copyright.) (Received 5.5 p.m.) London, March 11. —Mr E. S. Montagu, m an address to hi s constituents, said the country should welcome Mr Lloyd George’s return to the principle oj Cabinet responsibility. The genius dictator now ruling had on many occasions reached epochal decisions without consulting Cabinet, the most notable recent instance being his decision to invite Russia to Genoa. Later, Mr Amery, without Cabinet authority, published the Admiralty’s reply to the Geddes report. Th© real explanation of his dismissal was that in view of the threatened collapse of the Government, Mr Lloyd George wanted to offer hi s head on a charger to the Conservatives. Every member of the Cabinet had a copy of the Indian despatch the week prior to its liberation for publication. Earl Curzon or anyone else could have vetoed publication if they had wanted to, but no one did. Earl Curzon, whose policy of missed and bungled opportunities had disastrously embarrassed his policy in India, instead of raising the question in Cabinet, wrote him, after a Cabinet meeting, a hectoring protest against the proposed step. He had often been on the verge of resignation, but carried on, hoping he would be able to show India and the Moslems that Britain’s pledges had not been ilrretrievably broken. Concluding, he offered to resign his seat, but the meeting refused, and passed unanimously a vote of confidence in him.—(A. and N.Z.) MONTAGU’S SUCCESSOR. (Received 10.10 p.m.) London, March 11.—The “Daily Chronicle” states that Mr Lloyd George has invited Lord Derby to take up the position of Secretary for India.—(A. and N.Z.)