LABOUR ACCEPTS CHALLENGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 211, 22 June 1950, Page 5

LABOUR ACCEPTS CHALLENGE

LIKELY DOUBLE ' DISSOLUTION POLITICAL SITUATION IN AUSTRALIA (N.Z.P.A.—Copyrigh*) CANBERRA, June 21. The Parliamentary Labour Party to-day decided to accept the challenge by the Menzies Government to a double dissolution of the Australian Commonwealth Parliament, to be followed by an early election next year. It refused to yield on the Communist Dissolution Bill and decided to insist upon using its majority in the Senate to amend the Bill in a manner unacceptable to the Government. The result is that the Bill- will not become law during the present Parliamentary'session. Labour wants the onus of proof to be with the Commonwealth, and seeks trial by jury and wider rights of appeal for organisations declared Communist.

After three months, as provided in the Constitution, the Government may again submit the legislation to Parliament and if Labour, still refuses _ to yield may seek the double dissolution. The Labour caucus decided by 41 votes to 18 to stand by ite amendments.

Before the Labour Party’s decision was announced it was reported that Labour members with safe industrial seats were pressing hard for a clash with the Government; but the holders of ■ “swinging” seats and senators whose political future would be uncertain in the event of another election are not happy-at the .prospect.. Bill on Prices Senator N. E. McKenna’s Bill for a referendum on prices is designed .to embarrass the • Government over the increased cost of living. The Labour majority in the Senate will be used to force this Bill through the Senate by the end of the week if possible. The terms of the referendum giving the Commonwealth Government permanent .control over prices would be similar to those of the referendum which was defeated in 1-947. A refusal by the House of Representatives of a Bill passed by the Senate would be a reversal of the present position. In an impassioned speech in the House of Representatives, Mr Menzies said, “It is monstrous that this Government, chosen by the people last December, should not be given an opportunity of carrying out its policy. There are members on the other side of the Hous© who hate the guts of Communism. The time has-gone for prolonged argument. The time has come for action.”

He had a series of heated clashes with Mr E. J. Ward, the former Minister of External Territories, who at one stage accused Mr Menzies of being “in a drunken state.” Later, Mr Menzies appealed to Dr. H. V. Evatt to “keep his heeler at bay.” These remarks were withdrawn. Outside the House, Labour members said that Labour would oppose the Government legislation to the last ditch, even if it meant a double dissolution. Some Labour members added that the Government would find it hard to obtain a double dissolution, and that even if it did the result of the New South Wales elections did not offer any guarantee of the return of a Federal anti-Labour Government.