Melbourne, Jan. 25. the last day in February, and meanwhile the press of the tempora ary capital, as well as in a few cases the weekly satirists of other State capitals, are lampooning the Federal Prime Minister, Mr. Hughes, demanding that he should resign, and possibly unintentionally suggesting that he should make way for a smaller party with diamourically fiscal and other views. Mr. Hughes is described as Mephistopheles by those who link it popular to belittle him, even when he offers to stand aside if the Nationalist, Country and or Liberal parties can find common ground upon which to contro! the Government in opposition to Labour. It is safe to say that, whatever Mr. Hughes does is wrong from the point of view of his determined opponents, some of whom are Conservative and others extreme Labour or Communist. The Nationalist and Country party managers are seeking common ground for agreement, but the metropolitan press—chiefly of Melbourne—is wasting much space and ink in explaining what is, or might, or could not happen. If it is possible to prevent an alliance of the supposedly anti-Labour sections of the Federal Parliament, the Melbourne press is deserving of success. Probably the best indication that common ground between the Nationalist and Country parties may be found lies in the that the leaders in the conference of party managers say nothing.
The position of Labour is quite clear. It has gained seats in tha House of Representatives and is the strongest party. In the Senate, it headed the poll in five States out of six, and won i11 out of the 19 seats in dispute. It claims that Hughes should resign now, and advises Lord Forster to send_ for the Labour. leader. It declares that the result of the election is not open to question.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.