SCULLIN MINISTRY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 116, 17 April 1931, Page 7

SCULLIN MINISTRY

BEASLEY GROUP’S SUPPORT. REASON GIVEN. STATEMENT BY MR LAZZARINL (United Press Association.; —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received April 17, 10.30 a.m. CANBERRA, April 17. In the House of Representatives last evening, Mr Lazzarini, who is one of the Beasley group, said that the Scullin Government would never use machino guns. That was one reason why ,his group kept them in power. If the Government lost office it would be through the defection of members of its party, not through bis group. Mr Lazzarini added that the Prime Minister had greatly changed his attitude. For some years he had stood behind Mr Lang. Now he was prepared to kick him. Mr G'abb interjected: Yet you keep him iu power ? Mr Lazzarini: Yes, because your side would bo worse. We are in the unhappy position of having to support two sets of “duds.” We therefore had to choose which was the better of a bad lot. We decided that the Government was the better for the moment. A UNITED OPPOSITION. COUNTRY PARTY’S ATTITUDE, CANBERRA, April 16. The invitation to the Country Party to link with the Federal Opposition forces under one loader with the object of turning the Government out and fighting an election as a United Party was not altogether successful. The Country Partv desires to retain its separate entity. However, it has expressed its willingness to allow its leader. Dr. Earle Page, to co-operate with all other opposition leaders in a common policv of rehabilitation.