POLITICAL CRISIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13722, 11 April 1908, Page 7

POLITICAL CRISIS.

ME. DE4KIK MAY RETIB&

WAITING ON THE LABOUR PARTY i PROSPECTS OF COALITION, By Telegraph —Frew AoociMtaß —Cspytiffct, MRi.i«oriiNK, April J©. ■ j At a l*te hour last night Mr De*ldn, ! Federal Premier, suffer**! a revere in the . '; I Htftufe of Representative*, which caused him to adjourn the Hu'-w till Wednesday j in order thai the Government might eon- \ sider it-* position. The crisis arose out of a. motion moved j by Ms. W. Webster, a Ltbotu member, | for the appointment of * Royal Cqbmbmi I sion to supersede the Cabinet Committed ; now about to commence th* 1 inquiry into ! the Post Office disorganisation. j The adjournment of the debate was movj ed, and on tin* vote the Ministerialists were I defeated by 31 to 28. | Mr Deakin thereupon intimated th*i- he j accepted it m * vote of ensure on the | Government. What the result wil! be depends largely j upon the Labour ; ; . but, as the c*i*«» | was not solid oh Mr. Webster'* proposel, I it is probable that matter* will be rtmroth ed over. j (Received April 10, 11.47 p.m.i Mfci.BOtJR.NB, April 5.0. The Federal political situation is Butting much latino. Ministers held a consultation, ami the -\ Labour caucus discussed the situation . to-day. Mr. Deakiri and Sir Wat. Lyn« ~ also conferred with Mr. Fisher anil Mr. Watson, representing 11»*> Labour party. x Many rumours are current- One i* that .Mr. Deakin intends to retire, and that Sir William Lyiw will attempt to form * coalition Administration with the labour;/ party. , It is stated hat strong pressure in b»in,:; brought to bear on Mr. Deakin to in- -f S duoe him to take another view of the situa- ! tion. Mr. Miiugn, Federal PosUmiator-Ueneral, ' [ recently made * statement in the Hou."*«, ' j indicating that great disorganisation prej vailed in the postal (.ctvicc. He said it kid riven largely through the lack of :. : . cordial (-operation on the part «l the. ; I Deputy Postmaster-General, and that ifome*\ V i thing "would have to be done to place nii*i- <- j ten) on a more satisfactory basis. The Go« f | verament then proposed the appointment ' of a- special commission of inquiry. !