AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2861, 13 January 1909, Page 25

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

' O victoria. MELBOURNE, January 6. A conference of the parties which are opposed to the Labour party, after a long wrangle as to the appointment of a leader, eventually selected Mr Murray for ■ the position. At -the conclusion of the ©onferene Sir T. Bent handed in his resignation to the Governor, and recommended that Mr Murray be summoned. The suggestion has been accepted, ajid Mr Murray has undertaken the task of forming a Ministry. January 7. The- State Parliament was opened by Commission to-day. The Hon. F. Madden was elected Speaker. January 8^ The following constitute- the new Ministry : — Hon. J. Murray, Premier, Chief Secretary, and Minister of Labour. Hon. W. A. Watt, Treasurer. Hon. P. MBride, Mines. Hon. A. A. Billson, Education. Hon. G. Graham, Agriculture and Railways. Hon. H. M'Kenzie, Lands and Water Supply. Hon. W. L. Baillieu. Works. Hon. J. Drysdale Biown, Attorneygeneral. Messrs J. Thompson and Cameron, honorary Ministers. "Parliament was opened yesterday by Commission. The Hon. F. Madden (exSpeaker) and Mr Beazley (Labour) were propo?ed for the Chair. Some of the • Labour member a objected to Mr Beazley getting the appointment, declaring that important times were coining, and Labour would therefore need his vote, and that every rote- they could muster was required. Th« Labour Leader (Mr Prendergast) appealed to his colleaigu.es to vote for Mr Beazley, but when the division was taken nine Labourites left the Chamber. Mr Madden was thus re-elected for a third teiaa by 38 to 16. A Supply Bill having been passed, Parliament adjourned till February 9. Mr M'Kenzie, the new Minister of Lands, will visit New Zealand to study the land legislation of the Dominion, especially in regard ■&> taxation and compulsory purchases. January 9. The Ministry has been sworn in. The following alterations have been made in the portfolios: — Mr Graham takes Water Supply and Agriculture, Mr Baillieu Railways and Education, and Mr Brown a<ldd the Solicitor-generalship to his other duties. Mr John Murray is a native of Warrnambool district, Victoria. He went to England when about 20 years of age, and, returning to Victoria, stood in 1883 for YVarrnambool district in Parliament against the Hon. J. G. Francis, the then Premier, but was defeated. On the death of Mr Francis in 1885 his candidature was successful, and he has represented this district in the Legislative Assembly ever since. He was Chief Secretary and Minister of Labour in the Irvine Ministry 1902-4, and succeeded the Hon. J. W. Taverner as Minister of Lands in the Bent Ministry. The Hon. John Murray is a native of Warrnambool district, Victoria. He went to England when about 20 years of age, and, returning to Victoria, stood in 1883 for Warrnambool district in Parliament against the Hon. J. G. Francis, the then Premier, but was defeated. On the death of Mr Francis in 1885 his candidature was successful, and he has represented this district in the Legislative Assembly ever since. He was Chief Secretary and Minister of ' Labour in the Irvine Ministry 19024, and

succeeded the Hon. J. W. Taverner as Minister of Lands in the Bent Ministry. The Hon. William Alexander Watt was born in Victoria in 1871. He was elected [ M.L.A. for North Melbourne in 1897, for East Melbourne in 1902, and for Essendon in 1904. He w K &3 Postmaster-general in the M'Lean Ministry in 1899-1900. The Hon. G. Graham was 'born at LinHthgOAV, Scotland, in 1838. He arrived in Victoria in 1856, was elected M.L.A. for Moira in 1883, upon the redistribution of seats in 1889 was returned for Numurkah and Nathalie, which constituency he represented until 1904, and now sits for Goulburn Valley. He was Minister for Water faupply in the Munro Government 1890-2, Minister for Agriculture 1891-2, Minister for Public Works, Water Supply, and Agriculture in Shiels Government, 1892-3, and Minister of Public Works and Agriculture and a Vice-president of the Board of Land and Works in the M'Lean Administration 1899-1900. He is largely interested in rural industries, and owns Wunghnu Park Estate in the Goulburn Valley, with the development of which district he has been closely, identified. '. The Hon, Mr Cameron was Commissioner of Public Works and Minister of Public Health of Victoria from February, 1904, until recently. He was born in Invernessshire, Scotland, and arrived in Victoria in 1853. He started in Australia as a builder. and> settled at Kangaroo Ground, where he purchased land, and has been engaged in grazing and agricultural pursuits. He has been a member of the Shire Council sine* 1863 (President for three terms), and member and Chairman of the Railways Standing Committee. He was first elected M.L.A. for Evelyn in 1874, and is now " father of the House." He was Minister for Mines and Water Supply in the Irvine Government, 1902-4.