FEDERAL MINISTRY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 287, 1 November 1934, Page 7

FEDERAL MINISTRY

LYONS-PAGE MERGER. CO-OPERATION IN GOVERNMENT. DR PAGE AS DEPUTY-LEADER. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received November 1, 10.25 a.m. CANBERRA, Nov. 1. As the result of negotiations between Mr J. A. Lyons and Dr Earle Page, a satisfactory understanding has been reached for cooperation by the Country Party in the Government of Australia. This announcement was made officially after a meeting of the Federal Cabinet which lasted until 1 o’clock this morning.

The arrangement provides for the inclusion of four members of the Country Party in the Cabinet—two holding portfolios and two being honorary members. Dr Page will rank next the Prime Minister in order of precedence and thus be Deputy-Leader of the Government and acting-Prime Minister in the absence of Mr Lyons. No announcement of the personnel of the new Ministry will he made until after the amendment moved by Mr J. H. Scullin, (Leader of the Opposition) in the House of Representatives, is disposed of. Yesterday Air Scullin moved an amendment to the Address-iii-Reply which the Government viewed as a motion of no-confidence. The terms of the motion were that the House express its opinion on various proposals he propounded for the relief of unemployment, including extending the activities of the Commonwealth Bank to enable it to make credit available for public works, amending the Arbitration Act with a view to reducing working hours, restoration of pensions and social services, and establishing a national scheme of organised marketing, embracing Australia-wide pools. The House adjourned after the briefest sitting. A similar amendment in the Senate bv Senator Barnes resulted in an immediate adjournment until November 14.