In contrast with its collapse in Victoria, and waning popularity in the Federal sphere, the United Australia Party has gone from strength to strength in New South Wales, and the Budget introduced by the Premier, Mr. Stevens, last month Peculiar Party Alignment has been hailed as a remarkable achievement.
The alignment of parties in the Victorian liament rather In the Federal sphere the s always supported the Australia Par There have been several coalition Governments, and in the Lyons' Ministry the Country Party holds a number of portfolios Similar ce-operation existed in the Victorian Parliament until the last general election. On that occasion the two parties went to the country as allies, The Country Party, gained several additional seats and abandoning the United Australia Party, formed a Government with Labour support, The price of that port has been the passing of various measures pleasing to the Labour Party, and efforts to reform the Upper House. Two Reform Bills passed the Legislative Assembly, but the Council, not unnaturally, declined to vote itself out of existence, for it maintains that abolition would speedily follow reform.
The Government thereupon appealed to the electorate for a mandate to introduce a third Reform Bill, apparently hoping to increase its numerical strength in the Assembly.
These hopes have not been realized. The Labour Party has gained two seats at the expense of the United Australia Party, and the Country Party Government is more than ever dependent on Labour support. It will continue in office, however, and the Premier, Mr. Dunstan, has intimated that he will introduce another Reform Bill when Parliament reassembles.
When Mr, Stevens took office at the close of the chaotic Long regime in 1932 there was a deficit of £14,200,000. After four years of prudent yet enterprising ' administration, Mr. Stevens has been able to introduce a Budget showing a surplus of £74,- 310.
This is but one indication of Stevens' success. In the last years the credit of the State has restored, unemployment been reduced, and the efficiency of the always and other State enterprise: as been improved to a remarkable tent.
The man responsible for this spectacular rehabilitation of a State that was virtually bankrupt when he took office has had an interesti career, Formerly a highly paid and in every way an exemplary public servant, Mr, Stevens was driven to esign by the hostility of the Labour Premier. Mr. Long, in 1925. Mr Stevens began to practise as a public accountant, and speedily built up lucrative business. In 1926 he decided to enter polities. and won his first election with a majority of 5,000 votes. He was immediately appointed Assistant Treasurer in the Bavin Government, thus taking over from the retiring Treasurer, Mr. Long, the department from which he had been forced to resign.
When the maladministration of the next Long Ministry ended in dramatic circumstances in 1932 the Governor, Sir Philip Game, called on Mr. Stevens to form a Ministr which still holds office with stich conspicuous-success,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.