COUNTRY PARTY ULTIMATUM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 19 April 1939, Page 8

COUNTRY PARTY ULTIMATUM

OPPOSITION TO MR MENZIES TALK OF GENERAL ELECTION : IP P.A.-Bt Electric Telegraph-Copyright] 'Received 19th April, 12.30 p.m.) CANBERRA. This Day. | The Eedera! Parliamentary Country Party has decided it will not co-operate tn a coalition Government led by Mr Menzies, and has issued an ultimatum to that effect. It is proposed that a loint meeting of the two parties should be held to elect a Prime Minister on •he understanding that only a member of the United Australia Party should be eligible. It is believed that there is only the slenderest prospect of this proposal being adopted. It is widely expected that a general election will be necessary shortly.

LONDON PRESS COMMENT DIFFICULT TIME FOR NEW PRIME MINISTER • Received 19th April, 1.55 p.m.) LONDON, 18th April. “The Times,” in a leader, points out that Mr Menzies will not easily secure Sir Earle Page’s support, which is recessary to avoid a general election, the chief difficulty being the national insurance scheme. “Mr Menzies perhaps lacks some of the qualities which made Mr Lyons an ideal coalition leader. including a gift for compromise and ihe capacity to divine his fellow countrymen’? thoughts and feelings, but Mr Menzies’ force of character, great intellectual powers, and wide knowledge of men and affairs inside and outside ihe Commonwealth justify the hope that he will prove an admirable Prime Minis er in a difficult time. Mr Stanley Eruce was not nominated, which is .lust as well, because it would be hard to finr* an equally satisfactory High Com-