CABINET CRISIS IN NEW SOUTH WALES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2757, 28 April 1916, Page 6

CABINET CRISIS IN NEW SOUTH WALES

CLEAVAGE IN LABOUR RANKS MR. HOLMAN CHALLENGED TO RESIGN By Telegraph—Press Association—OopyrtaiUi Sydney, April 27. Proceedings at the Labour Conference disclosed a cleavage in the ranks and a strong anti-Ministerial Party. The "Sydney Morning Herald" states:—"Between the sittings, between sixty and seventy delegates, a majority of. the _ total delegation, formed themselves into a distinct section, elected a president; and instituted an organised attack on the State Government and the Parliamentary Labour Party generally. The discussions produced much censure of the Governniont's administrative acts. ; "Mr u Barclay, delegate from the Australian Workers' Union, moved: 'That the Government be severely censured for refusing to endeavour to give effect to the first plank in the Labour platform—tho abolition of tho Upper House. 1 ' He. vigorously attacked the Government. "Mr. Holman (Premier), in replying, declared that if he went to the country on that cry he would be defeated. He was so ciearly of that opinion that, if the Conference decided it was the right course, he would ask to be' relieved of the responsibility of leadership. He had consulted colleagues, who endorsed his action. "Mr. Blakeney (Australian Workers' Union) accepted the Premier's challenge, and called upon the Ministry to resign. ; He,compared the State with New Zealand, which had never had a Labour Government, yet had a better Workmen's Compensation Act than that which Mr. Holman had given the people.

v ''The motion was carried bv 104 rotes to 68. ' . - ; : "The Conference adjourned." CABINET CONSIDERS THE POSITION. (Ree. April 27, 10.40 p.m.) '.:." • .. . Sydney, April 27. Cabinet has considered the position treated by the .Labour Conference vote, ancl has decided to call a special meeting of the Caucus to-morrow, at which the situation and Ministers' views will be fully explained. J -BHIDCINC A CAP. LABOUR INCREASES ITS FORCES. s Melbourne, April 27. The Labour Conference has deleted tho clause which was adopted by the Political Labour /Council last year, whereby members of the Catholic Federation, ythe : Victorian Alliance, the Licensed Victuallers' Association, and the Orange Lodge were debarred from membership. ' ■ , ,; The deletion has ended tho intense friction which arose in the adoption of the ' clause, and restores many hundreds, particularly in the Catholic Federation, to membership.