FEDERAL POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 93, 23 April 1904, Page 3

FEDERAL POLITICS.

Mlt GEORGE REID'S OPINION. MELBOURNE, April 22. After the division was taken, Mr Deakin (Prime Minister) moved an adjournment till Wednesday. He thanked members for the assistance accorded- him, in his capacity as leader of the House, in seeking to maintain the standard of the Parmeat of Australia.

After the House adjourned, Mr Deakin made a statement to the Press, He said the majority against the Government composed three sections—first, those who believe the Constitution confers power to include public servants of the State ; second, those who doiJbt that the Constitution confers such power, but think the High Court ought to determine it ; and third, those who believe the Constitution does not confer such power, but support the proposal in order to oust the Government.

Mi- G. H. Rcid, Leader of the Opposition, stated that in his experience Australia had never known a caso in which individual Ministers left their offices attended by a more general expression of esteem and regret than the feelings which accompany the defeat of Mr Deakin and Sir George Turner. Counting pairs, there were 40 votes for Mr' Fisher's amendment, and 31 agjainst it. Thirteen Opposition members voted with the Labour Party, also four Government supporters • and twenty-three Labour members. Eleven members of the Opposition voted with the Government,

MR DEAKIN RESIGNS. (Received April 22, 3.50 p.m.) MELBOURNE, April 22. Mr Deakins Government has resigned. At a caucus of the Labour Party it was decided if Mr Watson was sent for to leave him a clear hand to choose whom he likes to form a Ministry. THE LABOUR LEADER SENT FOR (Received April 22, 6.51 p.m.) MELBOURNE, April 22. Mr Watson, leader of the Labour Purty, has been sent for to form a new Ministry.

The Federal Ministry was reconstructed under Mr Deakin in September last on the resignation of Sir Edmund Barton who took up the position of Judge of the Federal High Court. At the last elections, in December, 1903, the Labour Party secured a distinct' success, the result being that only six Ministerialists were returned, 13 Oppositionists, and 17 Labour member to the the Senate ; and 27 Ministerialists, 26 of the Opposition candidates, and 22 Labiur meurbjera to the House of Representatives.

NEWSPAPER COMMENTS. PROBABLE LESSON FOR THE LABOUR PARTY. (Received April 22, 10.6 p.m.) MELBOURNE, April 22. The Argus says the Ministry under Mr Deakin s leadership made a good ending. .Mr Deakin has gone down In defence of the right of the States against unfair Federal aggression. Discussing the pro!ivbilities the paper adds that' should Mr Watson receive the vice-regal commission, we shall have the experiment of government not by Cabinet but by a caucus of members of the Labour Party who will join the Ministry but will not be able to sever themselves from the caucus or throw oil its control. Thus the whole party will be virtual members of the Cabinet. Faced as it would be by a powerful opposition, the Labour Ministry would be powerless for much mischief, a:nd a brief experience on the Treusury benches might prove the most salutary discipline it could undergo.

" A. FALSE AND INSL'LTINU CRY." (Received April 22, 10.6 p.m..) MELBOURNE, April 22. The Age says :—"The crude fact disclosed by the debate is that the attack on Mr Deak-in and the Ministry is primarily due to the anti-Vic-torian agitation Imsvd on the utterly false and iiisultiing cry that tine people and Parliament of this Stale have meanly underpaid and overworked their railway servants. In a larger and more secondary sense the agitation, as Mr Dcakin conclusively showed, is essentially ajuiFedenal, with the abject of penalising Victoria for daring to resist the demands of the railway men. The anti-Federnlists are ready to invade the rights of the States, and if necessary to the attainment of their objects to shatter the Federal Constitution. It now remains for the leaders of the movement to take upon themselves the responsibility of working it out to its legitiinate'cunclusion.