BY TWO VOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 88, 15 April 1931, Page 7

BY TWO VOTES.

SCULLIN SURVIVES. Beasley Group Again Saves Government. LYONS WITH OPPOSITION. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph— Copyright) (Received 11 a.m.) CANBERRA, this day. Mr. J. H. Scullin's Government survived defeat by two votes in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Mr. J. G. Latham, the leader of the Opposition, had moved the adjournment of the House, to direct attention to the heavy deficit of £19,000,000, and while Mr. E. G. Theodore, the Treasurer, was replying to Mr. Latham's attack Mr. H. Gullett, deputy-leader of the Opposition, moved the closure. Every member on the Government side voted in favour of the amendment, making a unanimous vote. When the laughter had subsided, Mr. Latham's motion for the adjournment was defeated by 34 votes to 32. The Beasley group of members saved the Government. Mr. Lyons' group voted with the Opposition. There were many cries of "Resign!' Jt| and "Let the Opposition gag themselves!" The "Labour Daily" says the Scullin Ministry is likely to remain in office until after the present financial year, as apparently the Beasley group intends to support the Government until an election for both Houses can be held.

BRUCE OPTIMISM. Ex-Prime Minister Calls to Australia. "UNITED ACTION URGED. (Received 11 ajm.) MELBOURNE, this day. "With United action and common leadership, I believe \vc can swaep the country, and in so doing can restore confidence and set Australia on the road to recovery and prosperity," said Mr. S. M. Bruce, ex-Prime Minister of Australia. "A unique opportunity to bring this about has presented itself by the coming together of all sections which stand for those things vital in national life." FAKED EVIDENCE. Action Against Australian Government. JACOB JOHNSON AGAIN. (Received 10 a.m.) CANBERRA, this day. Mr. Jacob Johnson, at one time an official of the Seamen's Union, is claiming £500 from the Federal Government as compensation for his imprisonment. Johnson was sentenced to six months in 1928 for an offence under the Commonwealth Crimes Act. When the case was mentioned in the House of Representatives subsequently, the Treasurer, Mr. Theodore, alleged that "faked" evidence was adduced against Johnson. The Labour party was the Opposition at the time an<J pressed for an inquiry into the conviction. When Labour was returned to office the matter was investigated and the acting-Attor-ney-General, Senator J. J. Daly, recommended to the Cabinet that Johnson should be compensated. SHARP RISE. UNEMPLOYED IN AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, April 14. The official statistics for the JanuaryMarch quarter reveal another sharp increase in the ratio of the unemployed in the various States in Australia. The greatest increase is in New South Wales, where it is almost 3 per c,ent. Of 440,234 registered members of trades unions, 113,014 are out of work. The official figures do not take into account the unemployment of nonunionists, which is estimated to be at least as great as that of registered unionists.