CABINET SPLIT

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 49, 22 November 1926, Page 10

CABINET SPLIT

IN NEW SOUTH WALES MR. LANG FORESTALLS OPPOSITION DEFEAT OF GOVERNMENT EXPECTED By Telegraph.—Pbess association. Copyright. Sydney ; November 20. After the adjournment of Parliament. Cabinet held a lengthy meeting, followed by a hastily-summoned meeting of caucus, but no suggestions towards the settlement of the Cabinet trouble were made. It is understood that Mr. Lang s colicagues suggested that Mr. Loughlin might be informed that Cabinet was fully aware that Mr., Lang had no desire to become a .dictator, nor would he use the powers given him by the Australian Labour Party. It is said that the Premier had the support of the whole Ministry, even of those Ministers who had voted against him for the leadership, and that they gave him warm assurances of their faithful support. In these circumstances Cabinet could not agree to Mr. Lang being dropped. It is believed that further efforts are being made to placate the three members Concerned in the opposition to Mr. Lang, Messrs. Loughlin, Goodin, and Gillies. The results will be reported to a caucus specially summoned for tomorrow night. If these efforts fail it is believed that the- three members will vote to defeat th Government, in which event the Speaker (Mr. Dooley) will resign from the Chair to make the parties even, thus enabling Mr. Lang to ask the Governor for a dissolution;

(Rec. November 21, 5.5 p.m.) Sydney, November 21. In the Legislative Assembly Mr. Lang emerged victorious from the first clash of arms with Mr. Loughlin, managing to stave off the ultimate issue until Monday. When the Assembly met there was a full House. Both parties recognised that it was a game of tactics and that the Government, after yesterday’s developments, had been making so desperate a bid to continue in office that it had been suggested that Mr. Dooley should vacate the Speakership in order that a member of the Opposition might be, appointed, thus strengthening the Ministerialists numericallv. The Premier took early steps, to forestall anv move bv the Opposition, and moved that the House adjourn till Monday,' This motion was agreed to, Mr. Loughlin voting with the Government on a purelv partv division. Mr Loughlin, in explanation, said he would give Mr. Lang an opportunity to put an end to outside dictatorship of Parliament bv people foreign to Australia and to Australian sentiment. This was his reason for agreeing to the adjournment until Monday, and if Mr. Lang did not give an undertaking that these conditions would be carried out, Mr. Loughlin with his followers would cross the floor of the House and thus bring about the defeat of the Government. . It is stated in the lobbies that the main condition on which Mr. Loughlin and his followers will support the present Government is that Mr. Lang resign from the Premiership, otherwise thev will eject the Government, and enable a Ministry under Mr. Bavin to obtain temporary Supply preparatory to going to the country. It is generally conceded that the defeat of the Ministry when the House meets on Monday is inevitable.