CABINET LEAKAGES

Hokitika Guardian, 23 December 1932, Page 5

CABINET LEAKAGES

COMMONS' DEBATE

LORD CHANCELLOR’S REMARKS.

(United Press Association—By Electric

Telegraph—Copyright)

LONDON, December 22

InJ the House of Lords tile Lord 'Chancellor, Lord Hailsham, in the course of a debase on th e subje c t of Cabinet disclosures, said that there seemed to be a general misconception that the members of the Cabinet had only one obligation, which was not to disclose the Cabinet minutes. As a matter of fact, the.i r obligation applied to all Cabinet conclusions, all documents, memoranda, despatches. and papir.s and even to the Ministers’ recollection .a s to what took place. The Officials Secrets Act, he said, provided a penalty of two years’ imprisonment for either the memb e rs of i Cabinet or of the Civil Service who disclosed confidential Cabinet- information. He hoped this d e bat e had clarified the position and had .shown the wisdom of retaining the old rule of complete Ascrocy in .all its rigour and inflexibility.

The Lord Chancellor said that lie hoped that henceforth thei’e would be no Cabinet leakages. It was not only a bifeach of oath and an offence under the Official Secrets Act, but it was a breach of "personal honour to disclose Cabinet proceedings. Without thi s secrecy, he said, the system of Cabinet government would come to an end.

During the war debts debate recently, Mr Lloyd George in the House of Commons, cauUd a sensation by advancing to the table with a dosie r of papers, which, he admitted, were notes of the Cabinet on the debt question in the days of the Coalition. He admitted that hie was not entitled to publish the papers without the consent of the Prime Minister, who would have to consult His Majesty, though he thought ft would serve a public purpose. Thefle were a series of interjections and cries; “That is unfair,” when he declared that Sir R. S. Ho rife and Sir Austen Chamberlain had dissented from the Balfour Note. Both insisted that they were only opposed to the Note going to the Europban Powers, when ft wag really directed to the United States. Mr Lloyd George: “Thi.s only makes it imperative that the papers be published 1 .”

THREAT BY LLOYD GEORGE.

(Received 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, December 22,

In the Commons Mr Lloyd George reverted to the Cabinet secrets debate and threatened that if partial disclosures were again given as last week, he would unhesitatingly take the re» sponsihility of publishing the whole transactions, If sent to gaol he would have good company in Mr Horne and two or three other Ministers.