FEDERAL MINISTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20392, 22 October 1929, Page 11

FEDERAL MINISTRY.

RESIGNATION TENDERED LABOUR LEADER SENT FOR. , FORMING NEW CABINET. ' 1 . PARTY ACCEPTS TASK. BALLOTING IN PROGRESS. By Telegraph— Presa Association—Copyright. (Received Octobor 21, 10.15 p.m.) • CANBERRA. Oct 21. Mr. S. M. Bruce to-day tendered his resignation as Prime Minister and that of tho Cabinet to tho Govornor-Gcncral. Lord Stonehaven. Subsequently His Excellency sent for Mr. J- H. Scullin, Leader of tho Labour Party, and comipissionod him to form a Ministry. Balloting for tho selection of Mr. Scullin's Ministers was commenced to-day. It will bo continued to-morrow. , Mr. Stanley M. Bruce, who has resigned tho Primo Ministership of Australia, had held that offtce sinco February, 1923. He was 3efeated in tho Houso of Representatives on September 10 on Mr. S. M. Hughes' amendment opposing tho Government's bill to abolish tho Federal Arbitration Court by tho narrow margin of ope vote, 35 to 34. Ho obtained a dissolution of tho House and appealed to tho country, with tho result that tho Labour Party obtained » large majority. Mr. was himself defeated. Mr. Bruco was born in Victoria in 1884, and was at Cambridge University. Ho practised as an English barrister from 1907 to 1914. Ho fought in tho war and was wounded at Gallipoli. Ho was elected for Flinders to tho Federal Parliament in 1918. In 1921 ho represented Australia on tho League of • Nations, no was Treasurer in Mr. W. M. Hughes' Cabinet, 1921-1923. When Mr. Hughes resigned in that year Mr. Bruco joined forces with Dr. Earle Page, of tho Country Party, and formed a * Ministry in which Dr. Pago was surer. Orio of his first steps was to appoint a Migration Commissioner. His aim was ns close a relationship with Britain as was possible. In 1925 a serious strike njovement broke out, and Mr. Bruco s measures Wero opposed to tho views of Labour. Ho appealed to the country, and his party obtained 52 seats to 23 won by Labour in tho Houso and 22 to 11 in tho Senate. Tho question of tKo relationship of the Commonwealth to tho States led to differences with tho State Premiers. Mr. Bruce attended tho 1926 Imporial Conference, and returned via Canada and the United States, where a speech of his, in which he advocated that America and Britain should unito to maintain peace, caused much comment. Mr. Bruco • yisited Auckland in 1927. Dr. Earle Grafton Page was born at Grafton, New South Wales, in 1880. Ho was elected to tho 1" ederal Parliament for the Cowper Division in 1919. He has been leader of the Country Party sinco 1921. He served in the war from 1914 to 1918. When Mr. Bruco as Prime Minister was out of tho country Dr. Pago acted as Prime Minister. . Tho personnel of the Bruce Page Cabinet was:—Primo Minister and Minister of External Affairs and Territories, Mr. Bruco; Treasurer, Dr. Earle Page; VicePresident of tho Executivo Council, Sir George Pcarce;' Attorney-General and Minister of Industry, Mr. J. G. Latham; Minister of Customs, Mr. H. S. Gullett; Postmaster-General and Minister of Works, Mr. W. G. Gibson; Minister of Health and Repatriation, Sir Neville Howse; Minister of Defence, Sir T. W. Glasgow; Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. C. L. A. Abbott; Minister of Markets and Transport,, Mr. Thomas Paterson. Honorary Ministers; Mr. C. W. C. Marr and Mr. A. J. McLnchlan ; Assistant Minister of Industry, Mr. J. E. Ogdcu.