VICTORIA. MELBOURNE, December 3.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 25

VICTORIA. MELBOURNE, December 3.

Mr Murray, a member of the Country party, has moved jn the State Assembly a direct want-of-confidence motion against the Government. The Country party decided not to support Mr Cameron's motion, but to take separate action.

■The Leader of the Labour party intimates that Mr Murray's motion has his assent.

Mr Murray, in moving his want-of-confidenee motion, said his charge against the, Government was that it had done nothing according to fixed principles. Ever since Sir T. Bent's advent the Government had become more and more a one-man Government. Sir T. Bent was weak, vacillating, and extravagant, and had outlived his usefulness as the leader of the Government.

Mr Watt cluirgett. Sir T. Bent with makftig a false statement in denying that he purchased land along the St. Kilda tramway. He aleo said the Premier had misled Parliament by stating that he had no land along the route. Sir T. Bent then secured the passage of a bill which placed thousands of pounds in his pockets. Sir T. Bent characterised Mr Watt's statement as untrue. H© 6aid the route which he proposed for the line was not adopted, the present route taking its place. A syndicate of 10, including himself, purchased land at auction- He bought it because it was not on the route. He made no secret about the purchase. Mr Murray's censure motion was carried by 37 votes to 25. December 6. The granting of a dissolution has created surprise. Mr Murray, who moved the successful no-confidence motion, declared that the action was unprecedented, and should ody have been taken when there was no chance of a stable Government being formed. The Leader of the Labour party (Mr Prendergast) ears that the grant of a dissolution seemed an extraordinary procedure, as it was giving Sir T. Bent two chances. Sir T. Bent, in a speech at Bendigo, said that it was true that be was defeated by his friends. Intriguing had been going on, and he was not going to take it | lying down. Overtures had been made to jlbim to go to the. Labour narty to carrj

his Land -Valuation Bill, and so break up liis own party, bub he hadv replied : " You can go to you where." He admitted that he was not very polished, but on such' occasions the proper thing to do was \o ask the people for their verdict.