THE COMMONWEALTH

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16447, 19 January 1918, Page 7

THE COMMONWEALTH

THE CENSURE DEBATE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. MELBOURNE, Jan. 18. A feature of the censure debate was the unwillingness of the .Labour Party to co-operate with the Government in any declared war policy owing to the influence of outside organisations against union. The general character of the Opposition speeches was that a Government that violates its pledges to the people cannot be trusted, but the Labour .Party neither provides an alternative to the Ministerial war policy, nor makes it clear whether it will support the Government in any branch of war effort. The fact that New Zealand soldiers are on furlough at home and the Australians are denied a similar privilege caused a heated argument. One member considered that, having defeated the referendum, the Opposition was under an obligation to find means to enable such leave to be permitted. The vote would affect Australia's position when peace terms were discussed.

The query:-"What about the German colonies?" brought the following j ejaculations from Labour members: ! "They are no good to us." <«No an- i negations, no indemnities." "No cheap imperialism." A meeting of the Labour Party decided not to amalgamate with the existing -National Party. A NEW MOVEMENT. Received 7.40 p.m., Jan. 18. There has been an unexpeected political development. Ministerialists are conferring for the purpose of framing an amendment to Mr Tudor's censure motion, with the object of forming a National Government. CENSURE MOTION REJECTED. Received 0.35 a.m., Jan. 19th. The censure motion was rejected by 43 to 19. The coalition amendment was abandoned. COLLIERY CLOSING DOWN. SYDNEY, Jan. 18. The Lymingten colliery at Newcastle is closing indefinitely, owing to stoppages caused by strikes during the past year. 60UTH AUSTRALIAN CROP. ADELAIDE, Jan. 18. The wheat crop in South Australia is officially estimated at 26,658,999 bushels