BIG WAR EFFORT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 83, 4 October 1941, Page 10

BIG WAR EFFORT

GOAL OF LABOUR PARTY

(Rec. 1 p.m.)

CANBERRA, Oct. 4,

The new Labour Ministry will be sworn in on Tuesday. The personnel will be chosen by the Labour caucus ballot on Monday, and Mr. Curtin will then allot the portfolios.

Mr. Curtin said that his Government would carry on a maximum war effort and would expect the co-operation, as members of the War Advisory Council, of members of the former Ministry. He added that he was assured of the support of Messrs. Coles and Wilson.

"I am confident that the Labour Government will be a stable Government," he said. "It will devote itself, with singleness of purpose, to achieving the desire of the whole Australian people —the maximum war effort, with the distribution of the inevitable burdens iof war as fairly as possible over the whole community." . RECASTING THE BUDGET. Mr. Curtin said that his Government would proceed immediately to recast the Budget. With the support of Messrs. Coles and Wilson, Labour, after appointing the Speaker, will have a majority of one in the House. The voting strengths will be: Labour (Gov-

ernment), 37; the United Australia Party and United Country Party (Opposition), 36.

Labour faces a difficult position in the Senate, where the voting strengths are: U.A.P. and U.C.P., 19; Labour, 16.

In an editorial the i Sydney "Daily Telegraph" says: "Labour is in office, but is it in power? The big question is: Can Labour provide a stable Government?

"Australia will give the Labour Party ,its chance, but'it does not want a continuance of the present political set-up under a new label."