N.S.W. Government Just Saved from Defeat When Minister Resigns

Northern Advocate, 21 July 1939, Page 5

N.S.W. Government Just Saved from Defeat When Minister Resigns

(Received 11.30 a.m.)

SYDNEY, This Day.' r |’ HE CRISIS IN THE NEW SOUTH WALES CABINET CULMINATED LAST NIGHT IN THE RESIGNATION GF MR E. S. SPOONER, MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS.

Local government trouble had been simmering for some time, originating in the efforts of the Premier, Mr B. S. Stevens, to restrict the scope of Mr Spooner’s activity on relief works and the transfer of control thereof to a sub-committee.

A heated party meeting disclosed that Mr Spooner had many supporters. It also revealed a threat by Mr Spooner to challenge Mr Stevens for the premiership.

There was a tense scene in the A ssembly when the Deputy-Labour Leader, Mr Baddeley, .asked for an inquiry into the statement allegedly made to a colleague by Mr Spooner, that the Budget and the finances of the State had been faked, which the Premier indignantly denied.

The House divided on Mr B.addeley’si proposal, which was negatived by 32 votes to 29, but would have been carried except for the failure of the division bell to ring in a room in which four Labour members were gathered and were thus unaware of the division. This saved the Government from a vital defeat.

Mr Spooner said that the major issue was the Government’s policy on relief works. The plan for control of his department’s expenditure was a minor issue, and he was not prepared to resign because of that. No “Faked” Finance. Mr Stoves expressed regret at Mr Spooner's resignation. Ho said that Mr Spooner appeared to treat minor differences as a reason for his resignation. Dealing with the reported statement about faked finances, Mr Spooner said he had had a talk with the member concerning variation in budgetary items, but the newspaper reports had not given a correct interpretation of the conversation.

“The suggestion that there has been any manipulation of accounts or of the Budget is ridiculous." he said.