Victoria Premier Seeks Dissolution: C.P.-Labour Assault

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23288, 24 June 1950, Page 5

Victoria Premier Seeks Dissolution: C.P.-Labour Assault

MELBOURNE, June .23

Mr. T. T. Hollway. Premier of Victoria, in a last bid by the Government for survival in the face of defeat by the Country Party, backed by Labour, will ask the State Governor. Sir Dallas Brooks, to dissolve Parliament. If the Governor agrees. Victoria will have another election in a few weeks. The last elections were held 10 weeks ago.

Mr. Hollwny's decision followed 11 hours’ stonewall by Mr. Holiday’s Liberal-Country Party Government against a motion of no-confidence moved by the Country Party leader, Mr. J. G. McDonald.

The grounds for Mr. Hollway’s appeal to the Governor were revealed during the debate when Mr. Hollway said: “The Country Party represents 10 per cent, of the voters of the State, yet it is linking up by a discreditable manoeuvre with what it once claimed to be its traditional enemy. This strategy was planned in Canberra by Mr. A. A. Calwell with the idea of driving a wedge between the Liberal Party ancl the Country Party in the Federal Parliament.”

Mr. Hollway intends to tell the Governor that it would be unreasonable for the Country Party with 13 members; against 27 mustered by Mr. Hollway's Government to take control. Meanwhile, many unions are violently attacking Labour’s collaboration with the Country Party. Thirty-six unions have expressed disanproval of the manoeuvre and the militants are meeting this week-end to discuss action.