DEBATE ON REPORT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 9

DEBATE ON REPORT

PRIME MINISTER’s'sPEECH DISTASTEFUL TASK NO MEANS OF REDRESS [ British Official Wireless. ] RUGBY, June 11. The debate on the Budget tribunal report was open'd by the Prime Minister, who emphasised the difference between the judici'nl tribunal which Parliament had constituted for the purpose of the inquiry into the Budget an J an ordinary Court of law, since, he said, a grave inju.-ticc would be done to the twe members affected by the report if the distinction were overlooked and thev were regarded as having been found guiltv or a criminal act. Tt was his responsible, though distasteful, task a.- Leader of the Hou«e to trove that the report of the tribunal be accepted. Ho said that Mr Thomas, whose long public career was well known and whose loyal co-operation in the Government of whivh lip was th? I end would be gratefully acknowledged. had recognised that the House was 1 on nd tn accept the fi’id’ng-- of the ‘ribunal, regarding which. Mr Baldwin declared, thev all acknowledged the sense of dutv under which it undertook its task and nrnmntness and thoroughness with wlrch it discharged it. Tn resigning from Parliament, while maintaining as he had a perfect right *o do that li n was conscious of no offence. Mr Thomas had consulted his own dignify and tire dignity of the House, and had taken a course which deserved, and wouhl rece : ve, the full synioathv of the House. Air A. Butt had aBo tak< u the proper course. Hxniation in full hail been made bv both members. Thev had leHthe House for the last time, and it was closed to them. The careless and unthinking cruelty of modem publicity had been theirs for weeks, and they were paying the penalty in full. There is no appeal from the findings, and whatever stigma there is from the report remains for all I Vine. Let us hope, with all our j hearts, that we shall never participate in so painful a scene again.” fn conclusion, Mr Baldwin -aid that he would change the mo’ion to read that the House accepted the report. Major Attlee (Leader of the Opposition) indicated that he would not now move the amendment. Labour Leader’s Speech Major Attlee attacked the “corrupt influences emanating from gamblers in the City,” and said that ;t was high time for a clean-up of the City. A supcr.-truclure of mere gambling had been built up upon legitimate institutions. The Opposition urged an inquiry into it. Major Attlee and Sir A 4 Sinclair associated themselves with the Prime Minister’s expression of thanks to Justice Porter and his colleagues ou the judicial tribunal. Major Attlee said that two members of the House had been found by the tribunal to have acted in a manner inconsistent with the positions they held in public life. It was their clear duty to vindicate the honour of the House. Thev were proud of the probity of the public servants, and rightly exacted from them a very high standard, and they •could not accept, a lower one from members of *he House, or those who held high positions in the Government, but thev all deeply regretted that Mr Thomas’ long and distinguished career should have had such an ending. Liberal Leader .Sir A. Sinclair agreed that the incidents disclosed in the tribunal’s report were deplorable, hut happily they were of a kind rare in British ouolie life. That that was so was not di e to fortuitous circumstances, but. to the jealousy with which they guarded the probity of public life, and the qivckncss with which thev acted whenever it was impugned. That attitude m.i<t be maintained, for it was the greatest and only safeguard against thn chro'dv scandals and festering corruption from which other countries had found it difficult to purify their public life. Mr Maxton’s Comment Mr J. Maxton (Independent Labour') said that he had known Mr Thomas for almost thirty years and had been associated with him for many years in the work of the Labour Party “At no time during that period did T or those associated with me. approve his methods and general political conduct.” Nevertheless thev regretted that his political career should end in this way. Communist’s Speech Mr W. Gallacher (Communist) said that Mr Thomas had talked about his vices, if they were vices, but the Government had encouraged him in them. They knew that the , more he got into society the more ho was their man. (Laughter). Mr Thomas did not suddenly develop corruption; he was brought into contact with the captains of industry and the politicians representing them, and they natted him on the h *ck. If Mr Thomas was Artful Dodger in the Labour movement, Mr Ramsay MacDonald was Fagin. Proceeding to criticise Sir D. Somervell’s ruling. Mr Gallacher said that it had created a suspicion that there were reasons why there would be no prosecutions. Were they af r aid that other things would come out? A man had boon hanged on les« eiiounistantia* evidence than was available in this case. “T understand that von are not prosecuting because it would exno<e and end the rule of the Nationn'. Government which is founded on corruption an<’ betraval of the pponle.” ’l’hc Conservative. Cobnip l Mason, here shouted: “You dirtv c w : r.e.” Labour members demand**'! a withdrawal. and Colonel Mason lose and said: “I apologise for sveh an word.” The Labour members not being satisfied. Colonel Mason rose aga’n and formally withdrew the exores.-if n. Sir D. Somervell Speaks Sir D. Somervell said that he was satisfied that there was no evidence to justify proceeding for perjury against any of thy witnesses before the tribunal. As regards the Officia l Secrets Act, he was satisfied that evil intent

was a necessary ingredie d of an offence. Cannot Stop Gambling Mr Neville Chamberlain (CLancelloi of the Exchequer) said that gambling could not be stopped by legislation. He had suggested to Lloyd's a sort of close season from the end of the financia year on March 31 until the Budget had been announced in the House of Commons, during which time no Budget risk would be accepted. Lloyd's had assented, and thus what had happened would not happen again. Meantime Lloyd’s had appealed to 'heir underwriting agents not to accept insurance contingency risks without assuring themselves that the insured bad legiti mate interests to be covered. The House then divide d on the amendment, moved by Mr Johnston after Major Attlee’s statement (hat he was personally not moving the amendment, with the result that it was rejected bv 227 votes to .135, a+’tei which the motion to accept, th? report was agreed to without a division. Communist’s Resolution The Communist, Mr Gallacher, tabled a resolution expressing belief in the justice of the findings of the tribunal ami affirming that Mr Thomas and Sir A. Butt should no longer continue to be members of the House, which further expresses the opinion that in view of the character of the cv’dence presented at the tribunal, criminal proceedings should be instituted against Mr Thomas. Mr Thomas has announced that he was resigning immed : ately and would not fight the by-election. Sir A. Butt also indicated his resignation. SYMPATHETIC PRESS COMMONS’ PAINFUL DUTY Received June J2. 0.50 p.m. LONDON, June J2. The Press throughout the country deals sympathetically with Mr. Thomas. It believes that the inquiry will have a good result and pays a tribute to the dignity and humanness of the Commons in. its painful duty. The Times says: “The Commons is the least vindictive assembly in the world. It requires expiation when standards of public conduct are violated, but when expiation is made it tolerates no attempt to exacerbate the wound. Mr. Thomas repeated his denial that he consciously betrayed the Budget secret. The House was free 1o accept, and did accept, bis disclaimer, since the tribunal refrained from any such imputation, and the country will be satisfied with the word of so wellknown and trusted a public servant. On the other hand, Mr. Thomas, in his loyally to the House and its tribunal, accepted the findings, which the House also accepted. Mr. Thomas remains, therefore, under the imputation of betraying the secret even inadvertently and the parliamentary code requires immolation even for so venial a transgression. Mr. Thomas, in resigning his seat, gives adhesion to the code.” The Daily Herald commends the Labour Party for its effort to turn the situation to public advantage. It says: “Where the cleaning is wanted is in the City.” The Manchester Guardian says: “The public will feel the greatest sympathy for Mr. Thomas, but to most people the really disturbing thing is the revelation of the length to which the gambling spirit will go and the “ Utilities for it”