SCULLIN CABINET IN PERIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18848, 10 April 1931, Page 9

SCULLIN CABINET IN PERIL.

Attitude Of Hostile Group. EARLY DEFEAT LIKELY. United Prefls Association- -By Electrt* *. airgraph—Copyright (Received April 9, 8.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, April 9. Despite the threat of the Beasley group to absent themselves from the House of Representatives next week, the Prime Minister announced to-day that the Government plans to meet the House on Tuesday regardless of the consequences. In that event a snap vote will involve defeat by one or two votes. Mr Latham (Leader of the Opposition) declared that the earliest opportunity would be taken to turn the Government out. UNITED ACTION PROPOSED. CO-ORDINATING FORCES OPPOSED TO GOVERNMENT. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—CoDyrlgnt (Received April 10, 12.55 a.m.) SYDNEY, April 9. Active steps are being taken throughout Australia to co-ordinate the forces opposed the Federal Ministry’s financial policy in order to be in readiness for a general election. In the event of the Scull in Government being defeated, Mr Lyons will be asked to form a ministry, which will have the support of all organisations which have been seeking to stabilise the financial situation. These include the National and Country parties, and All for Australia league. Messrs Lyons and Fenton addressed a huge meeting at Adelaide to-night. They emphasised that Government by political machines must end. Mr Lyons struck a responsive note when, responding to a flattering welcome, he shouted: “We are striging a match to-night which will start a blaze throughout the Commonwealth.” He hoped it would bring in its wake, happiness and prosperity. He added that plenty of money would be available as soon as a Government formed which would have confidence at home and abroad. [lt was reported yesterday that when the House of Representatives reassembles on April 14, Mr Scullin’s Government will be without a majority owing to the fact that the Beasley Labour group will be campaigning with Mr J. T. Lang. Mr Beasley notified Mr Scullin accordingly, whereupon Mr Scullin telephoned insisting that Mr Beasley and his colleagues should be in their places at the reopening of the session. Mr Beasley replied that they would not be available until April 21. Unless Parliament is prorogued, the Government is certain to be defeated.] SPEECH BY MR BRUCE. AGAIN IN POLITICAL ARENA. PLAN TO RESTORE STABILITY. Mr S. M. Bruce, ex-Prime Minister of Australia, addressed a large audience at Dandenong, the centre of the Flinders electorate, on March 24. He announced his determination to reenter Federal politics. Mr Bruce said that during his retirement he had endeavoured to qualify himself to serve Australia again. He intended to stand as a. candidate for Flinders at the next general election. He did not intend to stand for a new seat because, having sat for Flinders for more than 11 years, he proposed to win it back. He intended to reenter public life to do everything in his power to free Australia from the present tragic Government. The charges of extravagance against his Government were denied by Mr Bruce, who said that it was because he saw the danger of uncontrolled borrowing by the States that he first moved for the creation of the Loan Council. His Government had placed the control of the note issue in the Commonwealth Bank, with an independent board of directors; and it was because of that action that it had not been possible for the Labour Party to give effect to the wild schemes of inflation to which it was committed.

Mr Bruce vigorously condemned the policy of the Premier of New South Wales, Mr Lang, saying that, apart from the honour of Australia, the action which he contemplated would bring irretrievable disaster upon the Commonwealth. He gave instances of the dangers of inflation in Europe, where that policy had resulted in the disappearance of savings and had cost suffering and unemployment. No words of his could bring home to Australians the effect of inflation upon the unfortunate people of France. If there were any body of men who should oppose inflation it was the Labour Party, because reduction of wages would be inevitable and standards of living wbuld be destroyed. The speaker appealed to the various parties to form one great movement which would be representative of everything that was best in the national life of Australia. He was convinced that such a movement could be brought into existence.