POLITICAL CRISIS IN VICTORIA

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25309, 8 October 1947, Page 7

POLITICAL CRISIS IN VICTORIA

SITUATION WITH FEW PRECEDENTS POWERS OF UPPER HOUSE (From C. R. MENTIPLAY. Special Correspondent of the N-Z.P.A.) SYDNEY. October 7. The political upheaval in Victoria which is now inspiring ardent Opposition supporters to talk of the secession of three States from tne Australian Commonwealth is one which could happen in few democratic governments. In Victoria and Tasmania there is no provision for the operation of the firm parliamentary rule that the control of the public purse is the sole right of the lower House. This gave the Victorian Legislative Council, in which Labour is in a minority, an opportunity to refuse supply and so bring about a situation for which there are only three precedents. One occurred in 1661, when the two Houses at Westminster became embroiled over finance for road paving, one in 1860 when the House of Lords refused a bill submitted by the Gladstone Government, and the third in 1909 when the House of Lords brought about the dissolution of Parliament by refusing supply. Tradition and the Parliament Act of 1910 have taken care of the matter in the United Kingdom, and elsewhere in the Dominions this example has been carefully followed. One car. hardly imagine a more difficult situation, however, than that existing in Victoria to-day. In the Lower House the Cain Labour Government holds power only by the aid of two Independent Liberals. The Upper House is elected on a restricted franchise, which requires that a voter be the owner or tenant of a house, a person with education of university stanaard. or an Army officer. In the Upper House there are six Labour members against a combined Opposition strength of 31. Government Counter-move The struggle by the Liberals to. upset the delicate balance of the Government came to a climax with the proposals by the Commonwealth Government to nationalise the trading banks. Three months ago Sir Frank Clarke, Opposition Leader in the Victorian Upper House and incidentally vice-chairman of the National Bank of Australasia, warned his majority that it was not for the Upper House to interfere with money bills. Events have reversed this decision. Tempted by the chance of fighting an election on the* bank nationalisation issue. Sir Frank Clarke decided to risk the anger of the unpaid civil servants and the manoeuvres of skilful political opponents forewarned of the danger. An opportunity for the attack was presented when, pending the introduction of the Budget, the Cain Government brought down the

next month. The Council has rejected this bill twice, and ft is expected to do so again when the bill is presented to-night. Mr Cain has countered with a bill for a referendum on the abolition or reform of the Upper House. The shrewd tacticians directing the Government campaign have thus ensured that if supply is again refused and an election follows there will be two issues before the people. The Liberals are beginning to wonder whether their scheme has backfired.

The resentment of thousands of civil servants who are indignant at being made the butts of a political manoeuvre, and the misgiving* of manv citizens who doubt the moral right of the Legislative Council to block the Lower House, may well make reform of the Council a dominant election issue.

LINCOLN BOMBER TO VISIT N.Z.

NAVIGATIONAL PROBLEMS TO BE STUDIED (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON. October «. Experts of the Empire Air Navigation School will investigate mysterious deviation changes which Royal Air Force and civil aircraft have experienced on Imperial routes, says an Air Ministry announcement. The experts will accompany the Lincoln fourengined aircraft Aries II when it leave* on October 20 on a liaison arid training flight to Australia and New Zealend.

The experts hope, by an analysis cf observations made during the flight, and of compass “swings” at each stop, to determine the causes of deviation and thus obtain a remedy ; for a serious navigational handicap. The Aries 11, on the outward journey. will call at Malta. Negombo, Singapore, and Darwin, and on the homeward flight at Singapore, Negembo, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Khartcum. It is expected back on December 12. The aircraft will fly about 22.500 miles including liaison visits to Royal Australian and New Zealand Air .Force units.