LABOUR TAKES THE REINS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 681, 5 June 1929, Page 1

LABOUR TAKES THE REINS

King to Send for MacDonald BALDWIN AT WINDSOR CASTLE Seals of Office Handed In British Official Wireless Received 10.50 a.m. RUGBY, Tuesday. rDAY or tomorrow the King is expected to send for Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, Leader of the Labour Party, and to entrust to him the task of forming the second Labour Government in Britain’s history. s Mr. MacDonald will undoubtedly accept this duty.

r\ CCORDINGLY Mr. MacDonald will meet Parliament when it reassembles on June 25 with the King’s Speech, outlining the Labour Governmen's legislative and administrative policy for the ensuing session. Mr. Baldwin’s decision to resign is accepted by all the parties as the fairest course to pursue in the interests of the Labour Party, and the best in the broad interests of the country and pf Parliamentary Government. The Labour journal, “The Daily Herald,” commenting on it, says: •Throughout the last four and a-half years we have consistently fought Mr. Baldwin, and it would be unnatural if we did not rejoice in the fact that the policies for which he and his Government stood are now at an end. But we gladly pay tribute to the method of his going. To make a good clean cut without lagging unnecessarily on the stage is the act of a man accepting his fate with common sense and fortitude.” The Conservative view is expressed by "The Times,” which says: “It is not weakness nor despair, nor malignity, but a simple sense of failure that is leading Mr. Baldwin to resign. If he has cleared the way for the Labour Government, he is only doing what the electorate told him to do. That Government will have its chance. Most people will re-echo the first sentiments expressed by Mr. MacDonald, namely, {hat the disturbance of another election should be avoided, and that what the country most requires is peace at home and abroad. Xothtng will be done, it is certain, to deprive hi 3 Government of perfectly fair treatment from its opponents on these lines.” The Liberal view, expressed by the "Daily News,” is: “Mr. Baldwin having wisely decided to resign at once, clearly it is the duty of Mr. MacDonald, having constituted his Cabinet, to present to Parliament a legis lativ - programme which will not make it impossible for liberal-minded and public-spirited men who will never support a Socialist policy to co-oper-ate with his Government and so obviate the disturbance and the danger of an immediate Parliamentary collapse.” Mr. Baldwin will continue to lead the Conservatives when they cross the floor of the House and become the official Opposition. Although no arrangements have been made, it is

anticipated that a party meeting will be held before Parliament opens to discuss the situation and policy. Tomorrow’ a meeting the Labour Party National Executive and the Parliamentary Labour Party w’ill be held, and important decisions are anticipated. The result of the election in the Orkney and Shetland Divisions was announced today. Sir Robert Hamilton (Liberal) was elected by 8,256 votes, against Major Spence (Conservative), 5,404. The state of the parties now is: Labour 288 Conservatives 255 Liberals 58 Miscellaneous 8 Of the 615 seats, six remain to be filled.

ACCEPTED KING RECEIVES BALDWIN IN BEDROOM SITUATION DISCUSSED (Australian and X. 7.. Press Association) (United Service) Reed. 0.5 a.m. LONDON, Tuesday. Mr. Baldwin, who was alone, arrived at Windsor Castle almost unnoticed during the changing o£ the guard. Princess Elizabeth was watching the proceedings. Mr. Baldwin, alighting from his car, saw her and raised his lmt, and bowed. He entered the castle and saw Baron Stamfordham, private secretary to the King. Then he was ushered in to the King’s bedroom. He remained for half an hour and discussed the political situation. It is understood that he handed in the seals of office. The King accepted his resignation. Mr. MacDonald was expected at Windsor Castle later in the afternoon, but his Majesty was advised that he should not bear the strain of a second interview. Consequently, he is not summoning Mr. MacDonald this afternoon. Mr. Baldwin was shy to the end. He left No. 10 Downing Street by a back gate almost unobserved. He returned after lunch from Windsor, and slipped in by a side door, both times virtually unseen. Mr. MacDonald spent the day at his Hampstead home, conferring with Mr. Philip Snowden, Mr. J. H. Thomas, Mr. Arthur Henderson and Mr. J. R. Clynes, who virtually are the Cabinet makers. While they were busy, a telephone call came from Windsor summoning Mr. MacDonald to see the King at noon tomorrow. It is everywhere assumed that Mr. MacDonald will be ready with the list of his Ministers in his pocket. Speculators assign portfolios to all members of the Parliamentary Labour Executive, but it is idle to assume too much until the executive meets tomorrow. In any case the speculative allocations of portfolios are so much at variance as to be useless.

LABOUR AND WAR DEBTS MR. PHILIP SNOWDEN’S “THREAT” FRENCH PAPER’S DEMAND (Australian and X.Z. Press Association) PARIS, Monday. The newspaper “Llntransigeant,” in view of the “threat” of Mr. Philip Snowden becoming Chancellor of the British Exchequer, demands a conference of all party leaders in an endeavour to arrange for the immediate ratification of the Anglo-French debt agreement. In that way they could confront the British Labour Government with un fait accompli and prevent Mr. Snowden demanding a fresh discussion on the subject to the detriment of France.