Unfortunately, Dr. Earle Paga, the Treasurer and acting Prime Minister in the absence of Mr. Bruce, is not a Nationalist. Heis the leader of the so-called Country party, and is busy touring the country in the efforts to strengthen his own following at the expense of that of his absent leader. Nothing but a hopelessly inadequate knowledge of the amenities of political comradeship, and of what-he owes to his chief, and those who follow the latter, can condone this line of action. It is causing much comment, and in Victoria at. least creating a very bad impression. Generally it is thought that Dr. Page is sealing the fate of the ministry of which he is a member, and that upon the return of Mr. Bruce an early opportunity will be taken to either put this leader in his proper place, or else precipitate a crisis which will be followed by a general election. It is hardly necessary to say that this is exactly what the Labour party, antimpating success, is anxious to see brought about. An illustration of the reckless manner in which Dr. Page flouts his Nationalist allies is shown by this attacks upon the late Nationalist government, and upon certain leading Nationalist private members who have disagreed with him. But more striking is the fact that when it became necessary for the New South Wales Parliament to elect a successor to the late Senator E. D. Millen, who was a Nationalist, the Country party in that State deliberately tried to take the seat for themselves, even at the risk @f putting a Labour man in, if they failed. Mi, Massy Greene, Minister for Trade and Customs in the Nationalist government,: and defeated with much rejoicing by the Country party at the last elections, was ¢ by the Staite parliament but this signal defeat of the Country party's tactics is not at all likely to assuage the ill-feeling created by what looks like an act of © deliberate treachery.
SUBDIVIDING THE STATES, Dr. Page's principal claim upon the electors is that the States are too large and that they should be subdivided. At present we have seven parliaments legislate ing for five million people, and he is trying to explain that the country would be-much better off if that number were increased by at least another six or seven, not more. His reason for this is distinctly of the parochia} order. He lives in a part of New Sout Wales, which feels itself neglected by the State government, And it is ®y no means difficult in remote and, sparsely populated parts of that and thor States to find advocates for the setting up of new parliaments and new governments. The Country party has lately' been holding its annual meeting in Queensland,, and a resolution was pass-in favour of Queensland, which thas a population of 800,000, being subdivided into three States, each with its own parliament and government, its own motional debt, and its own financial responsibilities. The- new States would start vith a debt of £111 a head, with miles of railways which do not pay their way, and with little or no security to offer for further loans. The strength of the States rests almost entirely in the South of Queensland, which alone might be benefited by the carrying out of the proposals. But the Constitution provides that no States can be increased or diminished with out its own consent, and it is perfectly obvious that no State government could propose the curtailment of its own territory with, any hope of winning 'a majority. Dr. Page continues his advocacy,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.