BRITISH CABINET

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 122, 25 May 1936, Page 7

BRITISH CABINET

MR- THOMAS RESIGNS Feels Unable to Pull Full Weight HELP IN THE CRISIS ißy Telegraph- Press Association—Copyright,) LONDON, May 22. The Colonial .Secretary, Mr. J. H. Thomas, has resigned. In a letter to the Prime Minister dated May 20, Mr. Thomas said:— “I understand that the Budget tribunal to-day finished its public sittings and will proceed immediately to consider its report. However, regardless c*f what the r. v>rt may contain, 1 feel it my duty resign. You are aware that I off to give evidence immediately the .. ibunal was appointed. My evidence is public property, and my private personal transactions have been submitted to the tribunal. I have decided to resign because the way my name and my private affairs have been bandied about renders my continuation ns a Minister impossible.

"My only object in joining the National Government was because I felt that the coming together of all parties regardless of differences was the only chance the country had of pullin’othrough the crisis. 'To-day I hold that opinion even more firmly, but I feel myself that instead of being a source of strength to Cabinet T shall merely be a drag on it and nc-t in a position to pull my full weight. This is inconsistent with my desire to servo my country, which I hope my past publiclife justifies me in saying has always been my object. “I ought, 1” fairness to all parties in the House of Commons, to that I feel no resentment at the demand for a full and impartial investigation. insomuch as the absolute integrity of the public life of the country was involved. It is well known that I have no political differences with my colleagues or with Government policy. 1 am fully conscious of the grave and difficult, problems, changing almost hourly, which have tc be faced by Cabinet. “Tn coming to the decision which means so much to mo I can only wish you and my late colleague’ godspeed i'/i leading the nation out of the present difficulty. ’ ’ Cabinet's Regret. Mr. Baldwin replied as follows: “My dear Jim.—You have acted as I should have done ill 3 r otir place. I accept your resignation with deep regret, which I know will be shared by your colleagues. The loyal support you have given through five strenuous years to the National Government will always be remembered by those who have worked with you.” SEA VOYAGE ADVISED. MAY RESIGN FROM HOUSE. Received Mav 24, 9.20 p.m. LONDON, May 23. The Daily Mail says that doctors are advising Mr. Thomas to take a sea voyage. He at present is staying willij friends in Sussex and has not yet decided to resign from Parliament. According to the News-Chronicle he will consult his leading supporters in Derby before coming to a decision. It was revealed on April 24 that there had been a leakage of information as to provisions in the British Budget and that certain operations in insurance had resulted in profits being made. The Government decided to set up a tribunal to investigate the matter and Sir Maurice Hankey, Secretary to Cabinet, stated that the leakage could only have been through a member of Cabinet. Later it was disclosed that Mr. Alfred Bates, who had made insurance against the Budget, was an old friend of Mr. Thomas and had undertaken to give him £29,000 against expected profits from his autobiography. The British social system may be summed up in the career of Mr. J. 11. Thomas, who rose from an errand boy to be Secretary for the Dominions. He was born and bred in the depths of poverty, yet King George was destined to call him a friend. Mr. Thomas persisted; that is the secret Oif his career He was born in Newport, his x parents being labourers, and at nine years of age he obtained his first job running messages for a chemist. From that post he went to one as engine-cleaner, and at last became fireman and enginedriver. At that stage this might well have represented the height of his ambition, for he was a shy young man, married at 23, and with no apparent chance of entering wider fields. But he was destined to enter railway polities, it was the aay o* unlc-ns, and with his foot on the ladder of fame amongst the railwaymen his advance to Cabinet rank was assured. His progress in the union was rapid; he became organiser in 1905, and then was assistant secretary, secretary, and national president, and finally was appointed political general secretary, a post which marked the coming of the day of discussion of railway nationalisation and which left him free for wider activities, for in 1910 he entered