ECONOMIES IN VICTORIA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17918, 24 October 1932, Page 12

ECONOMIES IN VICTORIA

MINISTRY’S THORNY PATH OPPOSITION TO POLICY MELBOURNE, Oct. 5. The Argyle Ministry continues to find tho path ot political virtue a thorny one. Its attemps to give effect to promised economies have met with considerable opposition even from some of its own followers For example, six members of tne United Australia Party voted against the Ministry recently on a vital amendment to a bill reducing various classes of Public Service pensions. It is only that portion of the.pensions contributed by the taxpayers, of course, which is being reduced, but tho cry of breach of agreement has been raised. The Premier, Sir Stanley Argyle, was very bitter at the expense of the rebellious mum“lt was the very first hurdle of the Budget and they balked at it,” ho remarked. The proposal to save a relatively small sum by suspending the usual liberal grant of scholarships for this year also met with some non-Labor criticism. COUNTRY MEMBERS' ATTITUDE

Possibly the most serious threat to the Ministry so far indicated, however, is the attitude of many country members towards the amendment of the financial emergency legislation relating to mortgages. When mortgages were dealt with last year, the , rates of interest being arbitrarily reduced and mortgagees temporarily deprived of the right of foreclosure, the legislation was made applicable only to current mortgages. In the legislation now before Parliament it is not proposed to interfere with mortgages entered mto since the legislation of last year. It is considered that such contracts were entered into by the parties in the full knowledge thtit abnormal conditions existed, and that the terms of the mortgages fairly reflected these conditions.

Country members, particularly members of tho United Country Party, raised a storm of protest when this decision was announced in the House by the Attorney-General, Mr. Menzies, in explaining the bill. Their contention was that new mortgages did not necessarily represent entirely new transactions, but vvero often merely a renewal of mortgages which had matured since the previous legislation was passed. Mortgagors had been forced to renew their obligations, and were therefore at the mercy of their mortgagees. They were entitled to expect, therefore, that Parliament should give them some relief from hassli and inequitable terms. On the other hand, it has been pointed out that if mortgagees are to be placed in the position of finding their contracts valueless because of Parliament’s sympathy with mortgagors, the system of fending on mortgage will become so unattractive that a valuable aid to primaryproduction will disappear. Nevertheless, the feeling among country members is so strong that the Minister may be induced to modify the bill in the direction desired. Mr. Menzies is disinclined to givo way, however, and at the time of writing there is a possibility that the Ministry may be w-recked on this rock. AN UNORTHODOX DEPUTATION

Further evidence of country dissatisfaction with the Ministry was afforded by a very large and unorthodox deputation which waited on tho Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Allan, at his country home. Several hundred irrigation settlers and their sympathisers sought a promise that Mr. Allan would not support projected legislation to transfer control of the settlers from the Water Commission to an independent board wholly removed from the danger of political influence. The aim of the settlers is to have their tenure and conditions put upon a more generous basis before their power to apply political pressure has been taken from them. Mr. .Allan, while giving a not unsympathetic reply, refused to he intimidated, and there were heated exchanges between him and those who wished him to turn against his Ministerial colleagues.