The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 11. FEDERAL POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 89, 11 May 1909, Page 2

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 11. FEDERAL POLITICS.

Australian exchanges give unmistakable indications that there will be another shuttle of the political cards as soon as the I'ederal Parliament meets after the recess. Mr. Fisher and his colleagues have held the reins of Government on sufferance, and have blundered badly over the Dreadnought proposals. When they can be induced to break silence the members of the Labor Ministry seem to be uttering their own obituary notices, for they plainly realise that their days are numbered. The situation is by no means a new one in Australian politics, for Mr. Deakin himself, with all his ability and eloquence, has for years past been similarly subservient. Mr. King O'Malley, one of the Tasiuanian ] representatives, put tile late Premier's position ill his usual forceful and amus-

ing fashion recently m this way: ''Mr. Deakin never held office since the foundation of the Commonwealth except as the advance missionary of the Labor party. The Labor party sit behind him, but always as directors-general of affairs. • The 'Laborites say, '|Ailfrcd ( march,' and Alfred marches. When they say, 'Alfred, retire,' Alfred retires. Tims the beneficent legislation of the Federal Government was the progeny of the Labor party. We love our Liberal brethren, and we wish we could cat them." This is a quite true declaration of the humiliating position held by Mr. Deakin while in office, but there seems small .probability of that gentleman securing the support of the Labor party in the future. Mr. ueakin has been telling large audiences in the several States that to build a Dreadnought for the Mother Country is a national duty, and the Opposition support the patriotic proposal. Jlr. Fisher and the Labor party, per contra, repudiate the obligation, and have their own ideas of building fighting ships locally, notwithstanding the expert advice tendered to them by naval authorities and the hearty responses that have been given by wealthy Australians in the direction of subscribing funds for adding at least one firstclass battleship to the ilritisa Wavy.