Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

PLANE FORGED
BACK
Government in
Predicament
"The Age" Special Representative
CANBERRA, Tuesday. — Be
cause "of ice formation on Its
wings, a Dakota transport plane,
carrying thirteen members of Par-
liament from Melbourne to Can
berra, had to turn back to Mel
bourne this morning. The pilot
considered landing at Wagga, but
radio advice indicated that the
aerodrome was not usable.
The member for Fawkner (Mr.
Holt) caught the, civil air liner
from Essendon this afternoon,
seven members boarded the Syd
ney express from Melbourne, and
the remainder will leave Mel
bourne to-morrow morning at 10
o'clock by plane.
As a result of this Incident the
Government found itself in the
position of being unable to com
mand 38 votes— an absolute majo
rity—in the House of Representa
tives. This meant that in certain
circustances it could not maintain
complete control of the proceed
ings of Parliament, as a motion
for the suspension of standing
orders requires to be carried by
an absolute majority. For this
reason special efforts were made
by the Government Whip (Mr.
Sheehan) to get his missing mem
bers back to Canberra as soon as
possible.
A warning that farmers should
not be tempted to buy pasture
seed of unknown origin and,
doubtful quality during the pre
sent shortage was issued yester
day by the Victorian . Department
of Agriculture. - The' seed , certi
fication scheme was introduced to
protect farmers, and to assist the
development of permanent pro
ductive pastures of a desirable
type.
$