For the first time since the Bruce-Page Ministry has been in power, the government narrowly escaped detent and was only saved by the casting vote of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The battle arose owing to the government's determination not to. agree to an allowance being granted to public servants in Canberra. Certain claims by four unions had_ been placed before the Common. wealth Public Service Arbitrator, Mr, Atlee Hunt, and that gentleman had forwarded' to the government. recommendations for an allowance similar to that asked for by. the.
such allowance would be The Attorney-General, Mr, Latham, decided that it would not, and the government therefore. felt in duty bound to disapprove of the allowance. This did not suit the Labour Party and an attempt was made to pass an amendment approving the allowance.
To the astonishment of the Nationalist party, their old leader, Mr. W. M. Hughes, voted with the Latour Party, while Messrs, Ste-faun and MeWilliams, members of the Country Party, also voted with the Labour Party. The result was the voting was. equal, and the Speaker had to record hi vote. Several members of the Nationalist Party were absent, the most notable one being the ex-acting Prime Minister and ex-Speaker of the House, Mr. Watt. This gentleman was urgently wired for, but calmly replied that he would only go to Canberra if he was really required. He has not yet gone to Canberra. During the last twelve months, Br. Watt has only attended fourteen sittings in the House out of over 100, Mr. Theodore, who has been promoted to deputy leader of the Labour Party, some little time ago prophesied that Mr. Watt would be the next Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Bruce has threatened to resign unless he is assur-absolute loyalty within his party. This he is hardly likely to ket and a change of ministry looks 8 foregone conclusion. Whether the old leader of the Nationalists, Mr. W. M. Hughes, is about to make complete turn, and, with some renegades from the Nationalist Part and the help of the Labour Party, again secure office, as some people believe, remains to be seen, Such 2 position has in the past a precedent in the action of the late Mr. Alfred Deakin,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.