FEDERAL POLITICS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 227, 8 July 1941, Page 3

FEDERAL POLITICS

EARLY ELECTION NOT EXPECTED

POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT. (United Press Association—Copyright > SYDNEY, July 7. The Canberra correspondent of tlio '‘Sydney Morning Herald” says that moves for an early election are not expected at Canberra. A split, would be caused in the Cabinet and among Government members if the Government attempted to go to the polls.

If Mr Menzies accepted* suggestions from any quarter that dissolution should be sought there would be a strong demand from his parties for a reconstruction of the Government under other leadership. On the Government side the feeling grows that it would be better to let Labour have a turn in office rather than face the country.

The Labour leader (Air J. Curtin), interviewed in Perth, denied thafe there was a possibility of an early election. “So far as I know, neither Mr Menzies nor*’myself is bothering about elections.”

The “Daily Telegraph” says that Federal Labour members of Parliament are appealing to trades unions to avoid industrial trouble for the next two mouths. They believe the Government intends to seize on the first major industrial stoppage as the issue for a general election. This fear is based on the belief that the Government wants at all coS'ts to avoid going to the country on the Budget. The Budget must come before Parliament by the end of August. and unless the Government’s present intentions are considerably modified it is certain to be defeated in the Budget debate.