SERIOUS SEQUEL POSSIBLE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 14048, 1 May 1946, Page 3

SERIOUS SEQUEL POSSIBLE

death of senator • KEANE POLITICAL POSITION IN AUSTRALIA " ~ Sydney, April 29. interesting and possibly serlWtical situation has arisen as 1,1 of the death of Senator R. Australian Minister of ai »l Customs, in the United >oa Friday. f fi new Senator to be elected ItyPa to replace Senator Keane Jof the same political colour us Jr Keane the Federal Govern'Phns for holding a referen*or greater powers for the health Government may be W; . !r %endum, which was '“to en held in conjunction with elections later this year, : r °Tward until the Authov- ( " bas been passed by ab- | ® a J°rities in botll Houses. * r Keane’s death deprives the P overrun ent of a working ' ,itt tbe Spnate. The vac--1 v °te of the combined I Victorian Parliament, , e i°ria Labour has only a majority In the Low.er House °tttnumberti(L by more than ; 9De in the Upper House. , 011 d lead to the defeat of jßndiim Bill, which provides .Ration 0 f the Constitution £ the Federal Government , ( j 0 c 9ntrol social services, Rand employment. In the at! 38 members, the „ , ? t mus t assemble 1 9 votes 0 Referendum Bill. At o,r oane ’ s rleath leaves a majority of 21 to 14, Labour Senators are tijJ BB3,B 01 ‘ about to leave. t(lr" 3^ ree Victorian Senators b,Vlw. eiltl of the . year ' fL, ■ * be voted for at the • Lie vacancy need not % ° re t ’ 10 next elec tf° ns > as !T lr ß ntilne the Minister, of k Mr Ded'Trad " oVer the trusteeship U 6 ancl Customs Ministry sugßest that there !et o . ' en moi ’al obligation on !| to replace Itjjj |* e Vlth a Labour SenaV remains tha t it need