N.S.W. CABINET CRISIS

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1935, Page 5

N.S.W. CABINET CRISIS

Weaver’s Charge AGAINST PREMIER. (Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn.) SYDNEY, February 13. A serious crisis has developed in the State Ministry, as the result of Mr. Weaver’s omission from the reconstructed Cabinet. The press are publishing long accounts of the Ministerial feud, and hint that it may have repercussions at the approaching election, and possibly lead to the Governmment running a candidate against Mr. Weaver, who hitherto had a very strong hold on his electorate.

J Mr. Weaver makes the charge that the Government is under the domination of the British Medical Association. Premier Stevens has already repudiated the statements, and invited Mr. Weaver to substantiate his allegation. Mr. Stevens also contended that Mr. Weaver absented himself from successive Cabinet meetings, at which his presence was particularly desired. Mr. Weaver, in the Assembly, defended his attitude in not attending the meetings, and said that things were coming to a pretty pass if the moment a Minister did not see eye to eye with the Premier, he must be removed from office. Mr. Weaver declared he was unprepared to submit to a system which made for servility. He recalled the occasion when Mr. Stevens was ’summarily dismissed by Mr. Lang from office as public accountant to the Treasury, and when he and others complained of Mr. Lang’s treatment. The Premier’s action now was no less lamentable than Mr. Lang’s on that occasion. Mr. Stevens, in reply, denied the suggestion that he was actuated by spleen, and said that Mr. Weaver’s exclusion from the Cabinet was due to a desire to secure harmonious working in the Cabinet. Mr. Stevens made a long explanation of the events leading thereto.