FEDERAL POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2966, 3 January 1917, Page 9

FEDERAL POLITICS

POSITION OF LIBERALS. The "Age" ,of December 22 • stated Hie position in Federal politics j thus:- [ Tlie majority of Federal members i from other Stales have i.ow leit Mel- j bourne for the Clivwlmns holidays, and ; no developments in connection with the . political situation can be expected for ' dome weeks to come. Thu Leader of the ■ Literal Parly (Mr. Cook) leit for Syd- ;! iiey yesterday aftenioan, but he intends ) - to return early in the New Year, with j the uOjcct of discussing the general situation with Mr. lluglicb. Commenting on the position yesterday. Mr. Cook snid that the present situation was unstable, '■ an<l was not Mkoly to last indefinitely, though what was ti> take its place, and when tliD change would be mndu, he was unable to mjv "At present.'' he declared, "nothing unusual is..uflo.it." Referring to statements that have been made, to the effect that « split is threatened in the Liberal Pnvty. Mr. Cook declared that the party which he led had never been more solid since its foundation. "I have botn leader of the party for four years, , ' he said, "and I have never gone home for a recess more satisfied with the position than I am to-day." When asked whether he "and his party would continue to accord the Ministry the necessary support to enable .it to give effect to its war jwlicy, Mr. Cook said: "Our present position is «s stated by me at the commencement of -the recent brief session. We are supporting Mr. Hughes in nil matters relntiiVf to the prosecution of the wnr. And this, after all, is the thing that renlly matters. All our politics and all our parties, with all their activities, should be centred there." A meeting rf the Ministerial Party was held yesterday morning, but uo statement was made at its conclnsion regarding the matters dealt with. One member of the Ministerial Party declared that "it was perfectly safe to say that nothing would ■' happen until the parties mot flgjiin just before the reassembling of Parliament next year." ■