FEDERAL POLITICS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 April 1942, Page 3

FEDERAL POLITICS

LEADERSHIP OF UNITED PARTY ATTEMPT TO RESTORE MENZIES TO LEADERSHIP. INDICATIONS OF DIVIDED OPINION. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, April 28.

The campaign to restore Mr Menzies to leadership of the Federal United Australia Party in place of Mr Hughes is likely to come into the open during next session of Parliament, says the “Herald’s” Canberra correspondent. The campaign, which has been in progress for some weeks, has taken the form of private conversations and canvassing of members. Were the campaign to succeed, its sponsors would, it is believed, test the possibilities of deposing the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Fadden, and restoring Mr Menzies to leadership of the joint parties. Mr Menzies has not been openly associated with the campaign, but It is said that a canvass of the rank and file of members of the United Australia Party has been of such a nature that the sponsors must have had assurances that Mr Menzies would again be willing to assume leadership of the United Australia Party. Those opposed to Mr Hughes and Mi- Fadden base their case on the claim that the Opposition parties carried their co-operation with the Government too far and are ignoring obvious opportunities to attack the Government’s policy. Some political observers believe that if Mr Menzies were to recapture leadership of the Opposition, a number o U.A.P. supporters would transfer to the cross benches.