STILL OBSCURE

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 94, 17 October 1940, Page 12

STILL OBSCURE

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS

UNPRODUCTIVE CONFERENCE

SPLIT IN THE U.C.P.

(By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright.)

CANBERRA, October 16,

An all-party conference held this afternoon to discuss National Government moves adjourned till next Monday without reaching any decision, thus leaving the future form of the Australian Government still obscure.

Mr. Menzies, in a subsequent statement, said that a general discussion had taken place on ways and means of carrying on the Government. The discussion was along purely exploratory lines.

' The Government parties at the conference were represented by the Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies; the I Attorney-General, Mr. Hughes; the Treasurer, Mr. Spender; the Minister of Air, Mr. Fadden; the Minister of External Affairs, Mr. McEwan; and Sir Earle Page. The official Labour Party was represented by Messrs. Curtin and Forde, and Dr. Evatt. The Non-Communist Labour Party was represented by Messrs. Beasley, Rosevear, and Mulcahy. One Independent, Mr. Coles, was also present. The other Independent, Mr. Wilson, so far has not appeared. OFFER TO RESIGN. It is announced that the Minister of the Navy and Commerce, Mr. Cameron, former leader of the Country Party, has offered his resignation to the Prime Minister. His friends expect he will join the United Australia Party. He is reported to have stated: "I will not be a barnacle on the ship's rudder, like the Independents." Mr. Cameron declined to comment on the split in the Country Party, which so far has not been solved. Mr. Menzies this morning addressed a meeting of members of all parties in the House of Representatives behind locked doors, after which he issued a statement setting out that he had reviewed the war situation and war policy, with particular relation to Britain, the Mi.ddle East, and the Far East. Member-s freely questioned him, and the desire was expressed that a similar meeting to discuss. Australia's protective measures should be held. This would be held next Tuesday.