LANG'S LATEST MOVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 285, 2 December 1931, Page 3

LANG'S LATEST MOVE.

UPPER HOUSE APPOINTMENTS

TRADE UNION SECRETARIES

MAJORITY NOT ASSURED.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, November 27

This week has been full of incident in politics in Australia for beside the dissolution of the Federal House of Representatives and the announcement of an early election, events have moved quickly in New South Wales, where, after almost a year of negotiations between the Premier (Mr. Lang) and the Governor (Sir Philip Game) 25 new Legislative Counsillors were appointed.

This, move gives the Lang Government a very strong following, though not a complete majority, in the Upper House of New South Wales.

The negotiations between the Premier and Governor have been going almost since the return of the Government last October. Soon after the elections, when Air. Lang was faced with a hostile Upper House, he asked the Governor to appoint SO new councillors in order that he could pass legislation which had been foreshadowed in his policy speech. The abolition, of the Upper House was one of the matters mentioned. The Governor refused Mr. Lang's request for 80 members, but said that he would agree to 25. This offer the Premier refused and sent along contentious measures to the Upper House in the hope of forcing the Governor's hand.

Bills Blocked. j When the Upper House Abolition Bill; came before the Legislative Council it was passed almost without amendment, but a Supreme Court order was granted against the president of the Upper House (Sir John Pcden) restraining him from presenting the bill for Royal Assent until the constitutional point, of whether the Upper House could be abolished without a referendum of the electors, was settled by the Privy Council. The Supreme Court upheld the contention that a referendum would have to be held first, but the New South Wales Government appealed to the Privy Council, which Avill hear the appeal- next April. Meanwhile several legislative measures presented by the Lower House, principally a hill to legalise betting at electric hare coursing meetings, a contentious arhitration measure, a 5/ in the £ wages levy and a number of smaller bills had been defeated or amended in the Upper House, principals because a "cave" of 14 members, appointed by Labour Governments at various times, voted against them.

Interest in the Upper House battle had waned pending the hearing of the appeal by the Privy Council in April, 1932, hut was suddenly fanned to fever heat by the announcement of the appointment of the 25 new members. Practically all are trade union secretaries and staunch supporters of the Premier and his plan. Two women are included. They arc all pledged to the abolition of the Upper House. Defeated at First Test.

On the numbers at present Mr. Lang can count on 42 supporters. . There are 14 Labour men, who declare that they will support only measures which are wholly Labour in character and not, in their own words, "hare-brained legiskv tion of a puffed-up dictator." The remainder of the 110 members who.now constitute the House are principally anti-Lang, though nearly 20 of them seldom attend the proceedings. Summarised, the position now is: Lang supporters, 42; Moderate Labour, 14;-anti-aTbe firet clash of the new forces occurred, on Thursday night, when an amendment was sought of the Insurance Bill providing for heavy cash guarantees by insurance companies operating in New South Wales. Previously the bill had been before the Upper House, but the word "cash" had been amended to "Government security." The Legislative Assembly had refused to accept this amendment, and sent.it back to the council, insisting on the word''awl,'.but by 41 votes to 39 the "Government security" amendment was retained. Most of the new members were present S the House and voted, including the two women councillors who are the first to be appointed to that chamber.