FEDERAL FINANCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 335, 23 October 1908, Page 7

FEDERAL FINANCE.

CENSURE DEBATE. RESULT OP CORNER'S AMENDMENT. [DI TELEGU a I'll —I'KBSS ASSOCI ATIOJi —Co I*l It I(J H't -I Melbourne, October 22. The debate on Mr. Reid's no-confidenc© motion, censuring the Budget proposals of tho Government, concluded to-day. Sir John Forrest, on behalf of the Corner party, moved an amendment to the motion, to tho effect that the proposals bo considered in committee on Wednesday next. Sir John Forrest's amendment was lost by 61 votes to 7, and as Mr. Reid's original noconfidenco motion had been emasculated by the omission of certain words to provide for tho incorporation in it of Sir John Forrest's amendment, tho motion lapsed.

EFFORTS AT FUSION, The direct Opposition (Mr. Raid and others) and tho Corner party (Sir John Forrest and others) rocently negotiated unsuccessfully for a fusion. The main trouble, it eoems, was that the Corner part? stipulated that it could accept nobody as leader except a Protectionist. It is understood that the Opposition replied that in its opinion party fooling or i olcction pledges should not bo taken into consideration in tho matter of {selecting a leader. It contended that the leader should be selected by a vote of tho combined party; and. much as it desired an amalgamation, it could not seo its way clear to join any combination that did not pursue such a course. In the lobbies little hope was entertained of the fusion of tho parties, as both sides were firm in the stand tlley had taken rogarding tho olection of a leader. Sir John Forrest was Sir Wm. Lyne's predecessor as Federal Treasurer, and resigned owing to differences with other mombers of the Deaklil Cabinet. It is understood that he objected to tho Labour trend of Government legislation.