LABOUR PARTY IN N.S.W.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 129, 16 March 1950, Page 5

LABOUR PARTY IN N.S.W.

PREMIER OPPOSES 7 DICTATION DRAMATIC SCENES ... (N.Z.P.A.—Copyright) • • -•/>• SYDNEY, March 15. Amid dramatic scenes in the State Labour Caucus this afternoon, the New South Wales Premier (Mr J. McGirr) offered his resignation as leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party. The caucus immediately extended to Mr McGirr a vote of confidence, and asked him to withdraw his resignation. Mr McGirr said he would consider the request. To-night, Mr McGirr agreed to retain the leadership of the Parliamentary Labour Party. Subsequently, the caucus passed the following resolution: “This caucus expresses appreciation of the manner in which caucus delegates were received by the Australian Labour Party executive, and pledges itself to work as a united party for the return of the Labour Government.” Mr McGirr told the caucus that he would not accept dictation from the State executive of the Labour Party and that he intended to stand by the members of the Legislative Assembly whose nominations as candidates for the coming State elections had been refused by the executive.

RECONSIDERING MATTER RESIGNATION NOT WITHDRAWN (Rec. 10.45) SYDNEY, This Day. Premier McGirr has not yet withdrawn his resignation, though he is reconsidering the matter at the request of caucus. The general opinion in caucus is that the fate of the McGirr Ministry will be decided in the next few days. The resignation came as a shock' to practically every member of caucus. It was the culmination of nearly three weeks of bitter dispute between caucus, led personally by Mr McGirr, and the State Labour Party Executive over the executive’s refusal to endorse four sitting members a& candidates for the coming elections. Party officials said that if Mr McGirr stood by his decision, caucus would immediately , elect; a- -new leader. Executive officials said there'-could be no retreat by the executive, . and that if Mr McGirr persisted in placing loyalties to individuals before loyalty to the movement, it would be better if he left the party. - , Caucus lias now adjourned until its weekly meeting, timed for next Wednesday, but there is-a suggestion that a State conference of the party will be called to discuss the .crisis. “Humiliated in his high public office by an outside coterie, Mr McGirr resigned as leader and virtually therefore as Premier,” comments the “Daily Telegraph.” “Now there is at' least a suggestion that he may backpedal on his announced decision. If he does the public will have lost all respect for the Labour Premiers in the future. The resignation is the only dignified protest the first Minister of State can make against the Labour Party. Executive’s intolerable assumption of extrademocratic power.”