FEDERAL POLITICS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1931, Page 5

FEDERAL POLITICS

EAST SYDNEY BYE-ELECTION (Australian Press Association.) (Received this day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, March 2. The East Sydney bye-election is lining held on Saturday and there is intense interest. Communists have planned a demonstration for Friday, which the police have forbidden but Communists avow they will be carried out even if they have to resort to violence. NO-CONFIDKNCE MOVE. CANBERRA, March 2. A meeting of Nationalist Parliamentarians to-day decided to launch a no-confidence motion on Friday. The House of Representatives reassembles to-morrow. THE CABINET CHANGES. CANBERRA. March 3. The Prime Minister, Rt Hon. ,T. H. Scullin, announced the re-allocation of the Federal portfolios to-day. Those Ministers who survived the ballot yesterday again occupy their original posts, and the new Ministers hold either minor or assistant Ministerial positions. Mr McNeil succeeds Mr Frank Anstey as Minister of Health. Air Cliifley is Minister of Defence, in succession to Senator Daly,

NATIONALISTS CENSURE MOTION, MR THEODORE’S STATEMENT. (Received 10.30 a.m.) CANBERRA, March 4. Nationalists decided to launch a censure motion on the Government in the shape of a comprehensive indictment of Labour’s policy in the past seventeen months, and to make Air Theodore issue subsidiary to the main attack. Air McGrath has so far failed to tender his resignation as Chairman of Committees. Five members of the “Lang faction” left Canberra ancl will not return, until after the East Sydney bye-election. It is stated that Air Scullin refused to send a message of encouragement to the Labour candidate. Air Theodore issued - a statement condemning Lang’s policy. “Apart from the ethical question involved in the voluntary and deliberate act of repudiating by Government it lias been pointed out that Lang’s policy can accomplish (nothing towards relieving the distressed workers or eventing employment. Moreover .bis action prevents immediate relief being granted to distressed wheatgrowers. His re-

fusal to meet interest payments, wilt prevent his Government obtaining any further loan money from any source. A deliberate, voluntary default will result in a financial panic, and probably a run on the New South Wales Government Savings Bank, which will be unable to meet all the demands unless the Commonwealth Bank comes to the rescue.” Mr Theodore added that if the Commonwealth Government’s plan had been supported by the whole Labour movement, and the State Labour Governments its success would have been assured.