NOT A HAPPY FAMILY,

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 582, 10 August 1909, Page 5

NOT A HAPPY FAMILY.

, <. CABINET DIFFERENCES. MR. M*OOWAM LETS THE CAT CUT OP THE BAG. HIS RESIGNATION EXPLiDfED. IBy Tslesraph.—Special OorrosDondent.l Auckland, August 9. Animportent statement was. mado by tho Hon. James M'Gowan at Thames on Saturday. The occasion was 1 a presentation made to him by .the Thames electors, and tho ex-. Minister let the cat out of tiie bag regarding hii retirement from the Cabinet, making 't evident that the Cabinet is by no means tho happy family Ministers constantly assort. He said that ho was. pleased to havo tibia opportunity of making the explanation.. He had not boon in complete accord with all tho acts of the Government during tie last two yoara, and he had opposed V some of tho works carried out by the party. There had l , aiso been some slight disagreement between' himself and one of tho other'members of the; Cabinet with regard l ' to a ■ certain . .road. This, together-with the fact that considerable difficulty,arose.;at the.time of, the .:recph'-' ; ' stniction of tho Ministry, had' induced' him./' to' inform, the : Primo Minister, that ho waj ; quite willing to:stand'aside if 'his doing so' l ' would, bo. any - assistance in-"''bringing!', about a ' satisfactory . settlement.' Thia offer had 1 been acoeptod without any : 'mi6- ' understanding : botwoen., himself ' ' and Sir Joseph Ward. The most cordial feeling, still--,j existed between them. ■ with regdrdi--. to: t his^' •rosignation as member, for Thames. ' : Thii was'brought about; oontinijod'Mf. M'Gowan, by the fact that, is already'stated, he'.was.-/ not.in accord with, allithe. '.policy oi'.'tfie"' party, and while his .past,connection i. : with, tho party would in a measure have compelled < him to vote witJi them on at least all critical; ■ occasions, he would have felt bound to oriticise their action during discussitina in the' ■House. Ho. would.thus.' have .'boon /pjacpd ia y a difficult position, - which, l .would- appear ; in* consistent, and this had, induced'him to sanif. in bis resignation. ■ : 1 '