VOTED OUT.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19481, 30 November 1928, Page 9

VOTED OUT.

THE VICTORIAN MINISTRY. UNSATISFACTORY POSITION. (HtOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, November 21." The defeat by one vote on a no-con-fidence motion of the Victoria Labour Ministry headed by Mr Hogan, was not unexpected,. In fact, it had to come sooner or later, as the Ministry never bad a complete majority and governed more or less on sufferance. It should never have been in office as it hacl but 28 followers ill a liouse at t>s. and its deliberate policy of isolation prevented it from forming a stable alliance with any other group, for avowedly its hand is against every other Party, it retained oihoe as the result of some immoral bargaining with the Country Progressive Party. The no-confidence mqtion 'in its original form attacked . the Government for its weak handling of the'waterfront crisis, and was moved by tlje leader of the Nationalist Party, Sir WiiHam McPherson. This, however, was only one reason for the defeat. An. amendment attacked the Labour. Ministry on its proposed redistribution, of seats, and as the proposal meant that some of the country constituencies would cease to exist, and the number of metropolitan seats increase, the Country Party representatives had no alternative but to vote with the Nationalists and end the Labour reign for the time being at least. Of course, there are many other charges made by its opponents against the Labour, 'Ministry. These include the maladministration of the railways, the police, ■ and the forests, business terrorism, and house-building programmes. w Following its defeat the Bogan Ministry delayed any announcement asto its intentions, and it was not until the House met a few days later that Mr Hogan revealed his decision. With a forelorn hop© that he might still retain the support of the Country Progressives, lie moved a simple test motion : "That the House do now adjourn." He was not left in doubt for very long for the motion w s as rejected on a division by 84 votes to 28. _ This was decisive enough to cause him to resign. During the no-confidence debate, the Parties expressed a desire fgr an immedate election, but since, the Federal General Election, results became known they are not so eager. Particularly does this refer to the Nationalists, and the result is the formation of a purely Nationalist Ministry commanding the support of. members of the Country Party and the Country Progressive Party Owing to the extreme antagonism of the Country Progressive Party towards the Country Party, i a composite Ministry between Country and Nationalist Parties was out of the question. / . It would seem that an election; would have been the best way out of a difflr cult and unsatisfactory position. As things are, the Nationalists will be subject to the control of the Country Party as they -are in the Federal Parliament. Amd it seems anomalous that so small a pgrty numerically should weild such great influence in the affairs of Austria. It is one of the evils of the .three-Party system. New Zealand will know more about these evils in the future. >