HC Deb 14 December 1908 vol 198 cc1247-8
CAPTAIN ARTHUR MURRAY (Kincardineshire)

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any official information in connection with the recent political crisis in Victoria; and, if so, whether he can give the House any information on this matter.

COLONEL SEELY

The Government of Victoria were defeated in the Legislative Assembly on 3rd December on a Resolution of no confidence, and the Governor, in the exercise of his discretion, after consulting his Ministers, and after the fullest consideration of all the circumstances, decided to grant a dissolution. My attention has been directed to a newspaper paragraph which intimates that there is local dissatisfaction with the action of the Governor. I have not heard of anything of the kind, and it may not be unfair to surmise that in the paragraph there is confusion, as to the political and party issues involved as distinct from the constitutional position of the Governor.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

Did not the objectionable paragraph referred to appear in the columns of the veracious Times?

[No Answer was returned.]