The Henson Journals

[199]

Thursday, March 20th, 1924.

William came to see me in distress. A constable from South Shields had called to warn him that he was driving too fast last night. This was bad enough, but worse followed for when he exhibited his license, he realized that he had forgotten to get it renewed in January! I sent him forthwith into Durham to get the defect remedied, giving him a note of explanation. He returned with a license, which he had obtained in the ordinary way without showing my note. I hope, rather than expect, that this is the end of the matter.

During the afternoon we learned the result of the Westminster election. The figures were Nicholson 8187 Churchill 8144. So Winston is defeated by 43 votes. The Labour candidate pulled more than 6000 votes, and the Liberal under 200! Thus another evidence of the transference of Liberals to Labour is provided, a fact which portends a Labour majority at an early date.

Clayton and I motored to South Shields, where I confirmed 81 persons in St Mark's Church. This is a large, rather gaunt building in the back–street of a rather squalid district. There was a considerable congregation, mainly of young women, who behaved well enough. The clergy, who attended with candidates, were rather a poor lot to look at, except Jackson, the Vicar of St Jude's who has just resigned in order to go to Canada. After service, we returned to Auckland.

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