With Parliament in recess, it will not be easy for the Treasurer, who is the leader of the Country Reactionary party, to cause much trouble, but there is no question that there i is a growing feeling of unrest throughout the country against the attitude of the Country party, which, after all, forms but a relatively small section of the political community. Only the other day a Federal Labour member boasted that his party contained as many country members as did the other side. In Queensland it is recognized that the country electorates are responsible for the maintenance of Labour in power. On the other hand, Bruce and Page in. Federal politics have their counterparts in nearly every State. In Tasmania the combined Government has been forced to resign, and Labour clamour for a dissolution, A new Government may patched up. In Western Australia the Country party is complaining that the Nationalists are not fully recognizing the partnership; in New South Wales, with the return of Sir George Fuller, intrigue is once more afoot to break up the combination of Nationalists and Country party. Even in Victiria, to the unutterable dismay of a comparatively immune Country party, a by-election has unexpectedly handed a "potato and onion" seat over to Labour.
Dr. Page, who is the leader of the Country party in Federal politics, may not yet fully realize what is happening. Perhaps he has not yet learnt the art of putting his ear to the ground. The other day an Opposition member moved an increase in old age pensions. Dr. Page, as Treasurer, explained what he was doing, the increases he was making, and other advantages conferring: yet upon a division, which should have followed ordinary party lines he found the Government very nearly defeated. and that. by the hostile votes of five or six of its regular Nationalist gobperters, three at least of whom have been known to resent the attitude of the Treasurer towards the Prime Minister. It remains to be seen whether this breach, which is not acknowledged by the mora important of the press, will widen during the absence of Mr. Bruce at the Imperial Conference. If while the cat is away the mice insist upon playing. it
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.