FEDERAL OPPOSITION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1653, 21 January 1913, Page 5

FEDERAL OPPOSITION.

.MR, COOK CHOSEN AS LEADER,

By'Telegraph-Press (Rco. January 21; 1 a.m.) Melbourne, January 20, _ Mr. Joseph Cook, of New South Wales, /has boon chosen as Leader of'tho Federal Opposition in-succession to' Mr. Deakin.'.

Everything goes to show (says tho oydnoy Morning Herald") that tho keenest interest is borng taken in tho selection of' Mr. Deakin is successor. Tho chief reason, for this, of course, is tho tact that no member can be said to have .established anything like a-prior right ?,,,, position, either iby outstanding ability or length of service.' Tho opinion of those members who were in Melbourne .to-day seemed ,to be generally that there would probably bo. a close contest for the leadership between Mr. Joseph Cook, of Now ,South Wales, and Sir John Forrest, of Western Australia, though there were some who considered that the claims of Mr. W. H. Irvine, of Victoria; would'receive equally high ; recognition at the hands of the party. ! Mr. Cook , has acted asldeputy-leader for some time past, and the valuablo services he has rendered in ™at capacity during the last two sessions, when Mr. Deakin was frequently absent on account of ill-health., are likely to brinjrhim the. support .of a considerable number of members from- tho, other as' well as those from; New' South Wales.. The close attention which Mr. Cook lias paid to his Parliamentary duties while in opposition/ and his great ability as a Parliamentary debater, will undoubtedly win him many votes'. Many who are closely in touch with Federal politics _ believe that the choice of the party will fall on Mr. Cook. Ho is likely to havo the support of tho great majority of the New South Wales members, whilo it is expected that lie will also secure tho votes of a largo section of the Queensland members. ;