THE ENGLISH‘ , SPEAKING WORLD.
By EVELYN WRENCH.
NEXT month the recently elected Parliaments of Australia and New Zealand assemble, and the question of the Premiership in each country, if not settled by the time these lines appear in print, will be decided within the next few days. The Australian Nationalist caucus last week, after four hours' debate, passed a vote of confidence in Mr. Hughes, and a com- mittee of six was appointed to negotiate with the Country Party for a basis of Coalition. Individual members of the Country Party, according to the Times .Melbourne correspondent, while not averse from negotia- tions, refuse to serve under Mr. Hughes. The Australian Press as a whole appears to anticipate a Coalition, but thinks that a fusion will only be possible if Mr. Hughes stands aside. As regards New Zealand, it seems probable that, when Parliament reassembles at Wellington, Mr. Massey will retain the Premiership, for in his case there is not the same personal antipathy that is felt in Australia against Mr. Hughes. Probably Mr. Massey's Reform Party will make some kind of informal arrange- ment with the Liberals which will enable the Ministry to carry on, despite the fact that it is in a minority of four as against the Liberal and Labour Parties. The line of political demarcation will be, according to the Reformers, " Progressive Constitutional Democracy and Communism." If Mr. Massey does retain office, he will have established a record among his fellow Premiers, for he has been Prime Minister of New Zealand since 1912.
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