VICTORIAN CRISIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20870, 9 November 1929, Page 2

VICTORIAN CRISIS.

DEFEAT OF GOVERNMENT. LASTED ELEVEN MONTHS. (Fbom Ops Owh Coeeespondent.) . SYDNEY, October 31. Australia has become accustomed to crises of the political type, but after the shock in the Federal sphere it takes kindly to those that have followed in New South Wales and Victoria. The New South Wales Government has yet to survive the basic wage hurdle, but the Victorian Government is already out, an election is pending in that State. And in Victoria the Labour Party, fresh and enthusiastic from its Federal campaign, is going to make a supreme effort to obtain absolute control of the machinery of Government, The M'Pherson Government, which has just been defeated, lasted for 11 months. The Parliament was elected on April », 1927, but the verdict of the people on th..t occasion was indecisive. In a j House of 65 Labour won 23 seats. Th* Country Progressive Party, which had j previously consisted of one member, was jlt creased to four. The Country Party | went back 10 strong, and there were 19 | Nationalists. Then there were some'lndependents, whose vote was always an uncertain quantity. At the time of the election the AllanPeacock Ministry was in office. The poll coincided with the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York, and the Governi ment, which found itself in a minority, held over its decision until the departure jof the Royal guests. In May the Ministry resigned, and the Labour Party assumed office, with Mr Hogan as Premier. Labour held power for 13 months, wit'| the assistance of the Country Progressives and the Independent. It wa defeated in November oi last year. A no-confidence motion, carried by one vote, caused the downfall of the Hogan Ministry. Mr Hogan contended that the House had not made its decision clear, and he insisted on another test. This was taken on the question, “That this House do now adjourn,” and the Government was defeated by six votes.This was regarded as decisive enough by Mr Hogan, and the M'Pherson Minis try was then formed. It had a precarious existence. In the session just ended —it began in July—the Government had been continually threatened. It was embarrassed by the prolongation of the Address-in-Reply debate, the premier and the other Ministers complaining, inside and outside the House, against the tactics of the opponents in delaying the work of the Government. Labour’s plans for the election campaign are being organised on an elaborate scale. Victoria has been the most conservative of all the States in the past, but reviewing the voting at the last Federal election. Labour now thinks it is assured of victory in the southern State. Of course, it must be remembered that the issues in a State campaign will he altogether different from those in a Federal campaign, and maybe tbs Nationalists. If they can show a united front, which is doubtful, will cause a surprise.