BRUCE'S POLICY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 222, 19 September 1929, Page 7

BRUCE'S POLICY.

CAMPAIGN OPENED. Industrial Arbitration The Only Issue. APPEAL TO PEOPLE. (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) (Received 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The Federal election campaign was opened last evening at Dandenong with a policy speech by the Prime Minister, Mr. Bruce. He said there was one issue, only, namely, whether he Commonwealth Government should vacate the field of industrial arbitration except in regard to the control of the "maritime industries. Mr. BrucS appealed to the people to disregard all other issues and all attempts to side-track that one. Two former referendums seeking to give the Government additional industrial po\\eis had failed. It was equally apparent that the framcrs of the Constitution had intended that the general regulation of industry should remain in the hands of the States. The defiant attitude of various unions toward awards of the Federal Court of Arbitration was emphasised by the Prime Minister. In this connection he referred specifically to the timber workers, coalminers v,and maritime workers. About (50 or 70 unions which were enjoying the benefits of awards hart allowed themselves to be levied for many months in order that strikers might flout the Court. • The death blow to .the Federal Arbitration Court had been struck by extremists who occupied positions of power And authority in the Labour movement. As a result th 6 general financial and economic position of the country was causing grave concern. The Government was convinced that only by improved relations and greater co-operation in industry could a solution be found. The system of divided industrial control, now in vogue, was fatal. Tho Premiers of all the States had agreed that there was no alternative but that the Commonwealth should vacate the 'field of industrial regulation, leaving the States to do the work by themselves. Mr. Bruce warned the electors that the defeat of his Government at the election would be hailed by the extremists as an endorsement of their action in crippling industry and of their right to dictate and intimidate through their political organisations with the disastrous consequences already well known in this country and in Britain. Hughes Attacks Bruce. Mr. W. M. Hughes opened his campaign at Chatswood last evening. The majority of the members of his large audience were returned soldiers, who gave him an ovation. His speech, like that of Mr. Bruce, was broadcast. Mr. Hughes described Mr. Bruce as "a political Messiah." He claimed that there was a sinister policy behind this move for the abolition of the Federal Arbitration Court. It amounted to an attempt to reduce wages and so place the workers in the position of having to accept the employers' 1 terms or starve. The Labour party has decided not to nominate candidates against Mr. Hughes or Mr. Marks. Apart from that it is placing what it regards as tlie strongest Labour team on record in the field and will contest all but two country seats. The New South Wales National Executive has endorsed as candidates ail the sitting members of the National party , with' the exception of Messrs. Hughes and Marks, whose nominations were declared informal. Mr. Manning, a former member, will oppose Mr. Marks, who is standing as an IndependentNationalist for Wentworth. The Country party has endorsed all sitting members, in this State.