FEDERAL MINISTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 2 January 1932, Page 5

FEDERAL MINISTRY

PERSONAL ANNOUNCED. COUNTRY PARTY NOT IN. air bruck may be later. i • , : ’. (Australian Press Association.) .‘mELUSURNE, December 31. Mr Lyons is still unable officially to announce the new Federal 'jiin.stry. This is owing to an absence ot replies to invitations, which • have been telegraphed to prospective members of the Cabinet. novvever, it has been ascertained ■that it he allotment of the portfolios has resulted as follows: Prime Minister, and Federal Treasurer—Hon. Mr J. Lyons. Attorney-General, and Minister of External Allans, also Deputy-Leader of the .Government—lion. Mr Latham. Minister of Defence and Leader of' the Government in the Senate—Sir Georgs Peace. Minister of Trade and Customs — iHon. Mr Gullett. Postmaster-General and probable Minister of Works and Railways—’Lion. Mr Fenton. Minister of Markets—Hon. Mr Hawker. Minister of Home Affairs —Hon. Mr ■Parkhill. .•/Minister of Health—Hon. Mr Marr. - 'Vice-President of the Executive Council and probable Minister-in .Charge of Development—Senator McLaehlan, There are four ' Honorary Ministers ‘to ibe selected from Messrs Bruce, Massey, Green, Francis and Perkins. THE NEW PREMIER. NEW YEAR MESSAGE. MELBOURNE, January 1. Hon. Mr Lyons, as the Leader of the' United Australia Party J has issued a New Year message, in which nc describes the year 1931, as having been a year of hardship and of disappointment. He expresses the opinion that the New Year brings brighter days for Australia. Mr Lyons appeals to the people of the Commonwealth to face the year 1932, with j courage and a full sense of responsi- j bilifcy, and with a determination to restore conditions of prosperity and greater happiness. He assures the people that the new Government will leave no stone unturned to get as many men back to employment as is humanly possible. FINAL ELECTION RESULT. SYDNEY, December 31. The last of. the doubtful election seats has been decided, namely, the Lcng seat, which was formerly hejd by ; the.. Federal Labourite, Mr D. Long. The victory vent to the United Australia candidate, Mr A. Dein, whose majority was 3,393. The runner-up was the Lang Planner, Mr Mulcahy. The state of parties in the House of Representatives is now as follows: ■United Australia Party, 39; United Country Party, 16, Independents, 2 ; total anti-Labour, 57; Federal Official Labour, 14 ; Beasleyites (otherwise N.S.W. State Labour), 4 ; total Labour 18. A strange situation has arisen in the Federal Parliament House. There are •ndt sufficient bunches om the right hand of the Speaker to accommodate all the new Government supporters and some of them will have to sit with the Opposition. This is the first tune that this has occurred in tile Federal Parliament. DR PAGE’S HOSTILITY. FAIR WORDS NO DISGUISE. SYDNEY, January 1. Doctor 'Earl Page, Leader of the Country Party, returned from Melbourne to Sydney to-day. ‘He discussed the critical position over the new Cabinet. He expressed the opinion that the Lyons Government would have a short life, and added the absence of the Country Party from the, •Ministry was due to the fact that the I Chambers of Manufacturers had dedared the Country Party “black” j so. far’as the Customs portfolio was con-1 earned. He emphasised that there was no lack of willingness on the part of the Country Party to lend its whole weight to the Government when dealing with economic and financial problems. COUNTRY PARTY. SHOWING ITS FEELINGS. SYDNEY, December 1. A Queensland member of the. House of Representatives, Mr Huntei, a Country Party!te, from Maranoa, attacks Mr Lyons over the method ot forming the Government, He contrasts [Mr Lyons's actions with those of Mr S. .Bruce and Mr R- MacDonald, both, of whom, he says, consulted the other Party leaders in similar circumstances. Air Hunter declares ; “Mr Lyons, drunk with success, could see none outside the Nationalist following. Western Australian primary producers declare Dr Earl Page justified in refusing to take a portfolio under Mr ■Lyons, as .the Country Party increased its membership from ten to sixteen on a definite policy of tariff In a matter of such vit'l importance to primary industries, Ur ! agt "■'■’ entitled to insist on having the t us-

tn"" 3 portl'd' ’ for that parly. fphe Newcastle manufacturers, on the contrary, applaud Mr I-voiiss fusal to concede Dr Earl l'w * mand for the portfolio, declaring tl.at any readjustments of the tariff should be' in the national interest, and not fox

the benefit of any section rursil <omriiunitics. ’> he "Syi'u '_v •Mornio'r !h aid" sc vs that Dr Em I Page's rel'us.l to j uti the .Cabinet is regrettable. as it is likely to produce an impression Liitit the Initial anil Country Parties am not. so unanimous in the agreement on policy as lias appeared during the elections. It says: “The country should Ik> grateful lor I) 1 ' IKari Page’s tine gesture that a policy of saving .Australia is more important than >the sweets of office.”