CRISIS AVERTED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 288, 6 December 1939, Page 7

CRISIS AVERTED

FEDERAL POLITICS INCREASES IN MILITARY PAY COUNTRY PARTY APPROVAL I .. ißy lelenraph Press Association—Copyright] Received Dec. 5, 11.20 p.m. CANBERRA. Dec. 5. The threatened Federal political crisis was averted tJ-day when the Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. i Menzies, announced in the House i of Representatives rises in mili ! tary pay which met the approval ! of the Country Party. Mr. Menzies intimated that (he militia would receive eight shillings a day until their camp training ended, .when they would go into the reserve I and make way tor the compulsory I trainees at five shillings a day. He I added that, the second A.I.F. would be I paid seven shillings a day on embarkation (a rise of one shilling a day) [but two shillings of this would be deIferred until their return to civil life. I Labour immediately moved an I amendment designed Io give both the militia and A.I.F. eight shillings a I day. i The Labour Leader. Mr. Curtin, de[scribed the Prime Minister’s stateiment as a grudging submission made lin political interests. The agreement [revealed that it had become politically [necessary for the United Australia land Country Parties to patch up their differences or be annihilated.