CUSTOMS PORTFOLIO

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1932, Page 11

CUSTOMS PORTFOLIO

NOT FOR COUNTRY PARTY

AUSTRALIA'S TROUBLE

(Beceived 2nd January, 8 a.m.)

SYDNEY,; This Day, Dr. Earle Page, Leader of the Country. Party, returned from Melbourne yesterday. He discussed the critical position over the new Cabinet and expressed tho opinion that the Lyons Government would have a short life.

He added that the absence of the Country Party from the Ministry was due to the fact that Chambers of Commerce and manufacturers haa declared the County Party "black" so far as the Customs portfolio was concerned. He emphasised that.there was no lack of willingness on the part of the Country Party to lend its whole weight to the Government when . dealing with economic and financial problems. Dr. Page said that it was quite impossible for Australia to get out of difficulty until there was a.fixed determination on the part of the! Government,to make the land industries profitable. Members of the Country Party would avail themselves of the opportunity while free from the cares of ofliee to visit the other States to tell the people exactly what was happening in New South Wales, also to outline the cure. .-...■

There could be no real economic health in Australia while two-thirds of Australia's population was living in New South Wales, which was suffering economic and industrial stagnation due to Langlsm and the inability of producers to obtain relief from their present burdens.