POLITICAL DEADLOCK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24430, 16 October 1940, Page 8

POLITICAL DEADLOCK

POSITION IN AUSTRALIA MOVE BY LABOUR PARTY INTERESTING SIDELIGHTS (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) CANBERRA. Oct. 15. (Received Oct. 15, at 11.30 p.m.) The problem of which political party will have the future Government of Australia was advanced another “stage to-day, when the Federal Labour Party decided to appoint a committee to initiate, discussions with authorised representatives of all the other parties and with the two independents, Messrs Coles and Wilson, “ with a view to securing their co-operation in strengthening the war effort and ensuring that Parliament can carry on effectively in the present grave and perilous situation.” The foregoing decision was communicated to representatives of the other parties which met later in the day. The precise number to constitute. the Labour Committee will be decided when replies are received from other parties. Mr Menzies had a conference this afternoon with members of the Cabinet after receipt of Labour’s invitation, which, in the opinion of Government supporters, is a shrewd move to take the initiative from Mr Menzies Another interesting sidelight on the political deadlock was the manoeuvring for leadership of the Country Party, on which the party is at loggerheads. The Victorians are dissatisfied with Mr Cameron and nominated the Minister of External Affairs (Mr McEwan) against him. resulting in Mr Cameron refusing nomination and angrily quitting the meeting. Sir Earle Page

immediately came into the picture

and was nominated against .Mr McEwan, the ballot resulting in eight votes each. The meeting adjourned with the object of trying to induce Mr Cameron to return and record his vote and thus settle the leadership. •; \ No previous .meeting of the party has ever been so acrimonious. Mr Menzies was re-elected un- ■ opposed as leader of the United Australia Partv at its meeting. The Prime Minister to-night sent , a letter to Mr J. Curtin, the Labour ; leader, in which he said: “I am treating your letter of to-day, conveying your party’s decision, as in substance a reply to the proposal I made in Melbourne recently for the formation of a National Govern- • ment. I suppose I have the right of assuming-that the nature of the > proposal adopted by * your party ■ indicates ■, that discussions between party managers; might usefully take place.” , . Acting.on that assumption, Mr Menzies extended an invitation to Mr Curtin and his two colleagues to attend a conference with representatives of the Government parties at 11 a.m. to-morrow. Mr Menzies informed Mr Curtin that he ‘was sending a similar invitation to the leader of non-Communist Labour, Mr J. A. Beasley.