Victoria has also been plunged into a State election campaign with dramatic suddenness. The Country Party Government, which has reigned only with the benevolent, if critical support, of the Labour Party, has been one of the most successful in "the history of the State, and has been deservedly popular. The Country Party, however, has long been subject to internal discords, and a violent quarrel has developed between the Premier, Mr. Dunstan, and the Country Party Executive.
Prominent members of the Executive insist that the Government's policy should be determined by the Party. Mr. Dunstan, supported by the Parliamentarians, declines to be dictated to by the Party, and insists that the Government is directly responsible to the electors for what it does. The issue is further*complicated by bitter personal animosities, Tired of recriminations, Mr. Dunstan left on a whirlwind tour of country electorates, and returned to ask the Governor for a dissolution, which was granted. The swiftness of the Premier's stroke, and the short time allowed for campaigning, have taken all Parties by surprise. This should assist the Government to strengthen its representation in the House, and arm the Premier with sufficiently enhanced prestige to discipline the Party at its Easter Conference. Such dramatic coups have been milestones in Mr. Dunstan's [Political career, and there is no more astute tactician in Australian politics today.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.