SINCE LANG LEFT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 99, 29 April 1933, Page 10

SINCE LANG LEFT.

PROGRESS IN N.S.W.

SECOND U.A.P. CONVENTION.

COUNTRY PARTY 'IMPOSSIBLE'

(From Our flvrn Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, April 22

This week the Labour Conference has been followed by the second annual convention of the United Australia party. The two leading figures on the political stage were naturally Mr. Stevens and the Federal Attorney-General, Mr. Latham, who came to emphasise the importance of unity and co-operation as between the U.A.P. and the U.C.P.

Mr. Latham seemed to take rather a despairing view of the Country party, which has so frequently refused to join forces with the Federal U.A.P. in a close alliance. But in New South Wales the experience of the U.A.P. has been just the same; for at a preliminary conference several leading members of the U.A.P. described the State Country party as "impossible" because its members seem to be intent upon their own interests and refuse to make concessions to others.

This complaint against the representatives of the primary producers may be heard any day in America or New Zealand or Australia—in fact, wherever there is a Country party—and the experience of New South Wales is certainly not exceptional. However, the convention was concerned chiefly with the material prospects of New South Wales, and Mr. Stevens is quite able to do justice to this topic. He received a great ovation from 1000 delegates at. the close of a striking address, iu which ; he enlarged upon the remarkable recovery already achieved by New South Wales and the rapid advances now being made toward security and prosperity. "Sweet Auburn.'' One of the most telling points in the Premier's speech was his reference to the marked improvement in industrial and economic conditions that has taken place during the past twelve months in the Granville, Lidcombe and Auburn districts, which were represented before the last election by Mr. Lang and two of his lieutenants. In these three municipalities, said Mr. Stevens, the number of unemployed had decreased by 45 per cent since Lang's downfall. In these districts there were COO houses vacant a year ago; now there were only 150. One of the largest industrial companies operating in these electorates was employing, in April, 1932, 200 men, with a weekly wage bill of £1000; by April, 1933, they were employing 550 men, with a weekly wage bill of £2500; and by the end of June this year they expect to be employing 750' men, with a weekly pay-roll of £3500. In the Auburn district the number of new factories opened since the end of May, 1932, was 15, including motor engineering, timber mill, tannery and steel works. In Granville district the number of factories opened in the same period, since the exit of Mr. Lang, was 16, including sawmill, tannery, engineering, clothing and baking. Relief to Constituents. i "The annihilation of my predecessor's Government," said Mr. Stevens with pardonable pride, "brought with it immense relief to his own constituencies." That is true, and in varying degree it applies to every industrial centre in New South Wales, and to the State as a whole. The policy of Mr. Stevens, and the methods that he has from time to time employed, may be open to criticism, but there can be no question about the public-spirited integrity of his Administration or the immensely beneficial effect that it has produced upon industrial, commercial and financial conditions in this State.