SEEKING WAY OUT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20379, 16 October 1940, Page 5

SEEKING WAY OUT

SEEMING IMPASSE CANBERRA FACTIONS CONFERENCE INVITATIONS DIVIDED COUNTRY PARTY LEADERSHIP RIVALRY (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Oct. 16. 9 a.m.) CANBERRA, Oct. 16. Consideration of the problem as to which political party will have the future government of Australia was advanced another stage yesterday, when the Federal Labour Party decided to appoint a committee to initiate discussions with authorised representatives of all other parties and also with the two Independents, Messrs Coles and Wilson, “with a view to securing their co-operation in strengthening the* war effort and ensuring that Parliament can carry on effectively in the present grave and perilous situation.” ; This decision of the Labour Party was communicated to representatives of other parties which met later in the day. The precise number to constitute the Federal Labour Committee will'be decided when replies are received from other parties. The Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Menzies, had a conference in the afternoon with members of , the Cabinet after receipt of the Federal Labour invitation, which, in the opinion of Government supporters, is a shrewd move to take the initiative from Mr. Menzies. Message to Labour Chief Mr. Menzies last night sent a letter to the Federal Labour leader, Mr. J. Curtin, wherein he said: “I am treating your letter of to-day conveying your party’s decision as in substance a reply to the proposal I made in • Melbourne recently for the formation of a National Government. I suppose lam right in assuming that the nature of the proposal adopted by your party indicates that discussions between the party managers might usefully take place.” Acting on that assumption, Mr, Menzies extended an invitation to Mr, Curtin and two colleagues to attend "a conference with representatives of the Government parties' to-day. „ Mr. Menzies informed Mr. Curtin that he was sending a similar invitation to the leader of the non-Commun-ist Labour group, Mr. J. Beasley. —Another interesting sidelight in the political deadlock was the manoeuvring for the leadership of the Country Party, on Which the party is at loggerheads. The Victorians, dissatisfied with Mr. A. G. Cameron, nominated ‘he Minister of External Affairs, Mr. J. McEwan, against him, this resulting in Mr. Cameron refusing nomination and angrily quitting the meeting. Eight Votes Each Sir Earle Page immediately came into the picture and was nominated against Mr. McEwan, the ballot resulting in eight votes each. •••• The meeting adjourned with the object of trying to - induce Mr. Cameron to return and record his vote to settle‘the leadership. It is stated that no previous meeting of the party was ever so acrimohioiis. At a further meeting of the Country Party a second ballot ended in the same way, eight votes each, after which the deputy leader of the party, Mr. A. W. Fadden.'who is the Minister for Air, was asked to lead the party untii the deadlock is overcome.

Mr. Menzies “'was..rfe-elecjed unopposed as leader of the' United Australia Party at its meeting.