COMMONWEALTH POLITICAL CRISIS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 171, 13 April 1908, Page 6

COMMONWEALTH POLITICAL CRISIS.

The three party system has been responsible for another crisis in Australian] politics—no less than the threatened resignation of the Federal Prime Minister. The (Labour party appears to Ije responsible for the trouble. The situation arose but of complaints made by jthe Postmaster-General concerning the attitude of |iis Deputy PostmastcrsGfflieral in the various States of the Commonwealth'. The deputy officials appear to be discontented with existing cohditions, and, in the words of the Minister, have not co : operatcd with hiin as he would like. Wilfully or [ptliarwiao, they have miflimdurfltood 01,

misrepresented instructions given, and the result has been the development of a verv unsatisfactory position. To deal with the situation, the Federal Government appointed a Cabinet committee of investigation. This, however, apparently was not regarded as satisfactory by the Labour Party, or a'section of it, and a motion by one.of their number, Mr. Webster, to appoint a llo'yal Commission of Inquiry, was carried by 31 votes to 28. Mr. Deakin regarded this defeat as a vote of censure on the Government, immediately adjourned the House, and later announced that he would tender his resignation on Wednesday next. The Deakin Government, since the General Election in 1906, has held office on; ,sufferance. The three parties were returned with fairly equal strength, and, but for its understanding with the Labour party the Government could not have carried on. Some months ago Sir John Forrest resigned his seat in the Ministry rather than be at the mercy of the Labour party, which, through Sir William Lyne, appeared to be exercising a stronger influence than ever with the Government. While Mr. Webster's offending motion does not appear to have originated at a Labour caucus, it would seem to have the support of the majority of the party, for after the defeat of the Government Mr. Deakin is reported to have had an interview with the leaders of the l La-' hour party, and it was after that interview that he intimated-that his re-; signatioh. would be sent in next Wednesday. Probably he found it impossible to come to a satisfactory arrange-: ment with his Labour friends; and so decided ,on the extreme step, of relinquishing office. ' He may have been influenced in part in taking this course by his state of health. - After his return from the Imperial Conference .last year his health broke down, and for some time Sir William Lyne filled the position of- Acting Premier. 1 It is probable that in the event of nothing happening- to change Mr. Deakin's determination, he will recommend; that Sir William Lyne be sent for to form a Ministry. Of course, Sir William Lyne.could do nothing without the-as-sistance of the .Labour .Party, and everything.depends upon what sort of an arrangement he can make with, the Labour leaders. Developments will be. a waited during the next few days with much interest. •