Victorian Election.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1921, Page 3

Victorian Election.

A POLITICAL TANGLE. •SYDNEY, Aug. 9. The fact that the Victorian Government was defeated b.v a combination of the Country Party and the LabourParty, so that it has been forced to appeal to the country, after being only nine months in office, may be a little puzzling to the observer at a* distance. It must not be thought t.rit there is any likelihood of an alliance between the Labour and Country Parties, which are now definite entities in Commonwealth polities and in nearly all of the States. The two arc actualh further apart than are the Nationalists and the Labourites. Alter tlie election nine 'ninths ago, the parties in the Victorian Parliament wen' : Liberals 31 Labour ‘ J I ( iiiintry W The Liberals formed a Government under Mr Lawson, but it u"s obvious that they held office only with tiie nuproval of the Country Party. The latter could combine with Labour at nay time to turn the Government out. Any combination of this character was unlikely. Victoria does not like Labour. Except once, for a period of 13 day*, the State has never had a Labour Government —.t .art reflected in the remarkably low taxation of Victoria as compared "iili Now South Wales and Queensland But Labour wanted a compulsory wheat pool in connexion with tho forthcoming harvest; the Country Party, for once, demanded the same thing—although as a rule the Country Party is absolutely opposed to "State interference” : and the Government would not grant such it pool. It oflerod financial hacking to a voluntary co-operative pool, “but,” said Mr Lawson, “the proposal for a wheatgrowers compulsory pool, to which every grower would be compelled to sell his wheat "as, it) effect. an attempt by the anti-Socialistic Farmers’ Union Party, backed by the Labour Party, to establish a piping Hot instalment <>f revolutionary socialism in Victoria.”

The Country Party combined with Lie Labour Party on the issue and defeated the Government. Everyone expected that the Government thereupon, would seek a compromise, for which the (oimtry Party was quite ready. The Liberals decided to go to the country. Both Country and Liberal Parties will be well supported, making Coalition likely.