The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Tunes.) MONDAY, MARCH 31st, 1924. AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 March 1924, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Tunes.) MONDAY, MARCH 31st, 1924. AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

There is a sharp contrast between the political action of Mr Bruce, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, calling his Parliament together last week, and that of Mr Massey wJio inis been, with us now for some weeks, and yet does not intend to call the Dominion Parliament together for another three months ! Mr Bruce’s action is to Ire the more commended, particularly that the I New Zealand Parliament last session curtailed its work very materially to let Mr Massey away to the Imperial Con-rerence—-which, circumstances have since disclosed, was so abortive from practically all points of view. Mr Bruce moved rapidly on his return, and the Commonwealth Parliament met on the 27th. inst. It was expected that Mr Bruce would have taken longer to acquaint hiniself with developments since his departure, hut apparently his chief anxiety is to get legislative sanction, for all the London decisions to which lie had been a party, thus leaving the Imperial Parliament, when the decisions are submitted to it, ill possession of the final views of Australia. There appears to be, according to a Sydney correspondent, promise of a more thorough understanding between the two brandies of the Government party—the Nationalists and the Country Party—than there has ever been since the quasiocalition after the general election. Events in Victoria, where a Labour candidate was elected recently purely and simply through the differences between the Country' Party and the Ministerialists in that State, have had a profound* effect, and it is realised that unless the differences are composed there is a strong probability of the Labour Party slipping into power at the next election. The most conciliatory speeches have been delivered by both Dr. Page, the leader of the Country Party, who has been acting Prime Minister during

Mr Bruce’s absence, and by Mr Bruce, since the latter’s return, and it is believed that when the next election comes there will be some sort of united front. There are irreconcilables in the Country Party who are proving a serious obstacle in the path to such a consummation, but it is believed that the force of circumstances may. bring them into the cohesion. The root trouble is personal ambition. There are men who realise that the adhesion of their leaders to the Nationalists affords an opportunity for them to establish themselves as leaders, and thus give themselves a bargaining power for office which has succeeded so eminently with others. This happened in New South Wales, where the coalition of the front of the Country Party with the. Nationalists merely left the rump with as much power for dictation, as the front had had, and new leaders arose. Sardonic indifference to the real interests of the country, as .such behaviour expresses since it leaves the road open for a party to which Country Party and Nationalists are alike opposed to get into power, it is at the present moment one of the most potent factors in Australian politics. Headers are afraid to negotiate for unity because of the stimulus which the success of such eifortß gives to other factions to arise with sectional interests on their lips and personal ambition in their hearts. For that reason it is improbable that any useful understanding will be reached either in the Federal sphere or in the several State spheres where this condition of affairs obtains, until there is substantial evidence of unanimity on the part of the Country Party minorities concerned.