STATES' POWERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 59, 10 March 1944, Page 5

STATES' POWERS

FEDERAL MEASURES Post-War Reconstruction In Australia N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 11 a.m. CANBERRA, this day. The Federal Government is confident that the Referendum Bill will be passed through the House of Representatives this week. So far there have been nearly 20 speeches on the bill, but the speakers are now flagging and finding it difficult to throw any new light on the subject. Practically unanimous agreement exists in the House that the Federal Parliament should have wider powers in order to meet postwar problems effectively. The Country party, however, wants a further attempt made to induce the States to make a voluntary transfer of powers, while the United Australia party has a new set of proposed powers in the amendment moved by the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. R. G. Menzies.

One of the latest speakers to the bill was the Minister for War Organisation of Industry, Mr. Dedman, who declared that some forms of rationing and such wartime controls as priorities for labour and materials, must continue for a short time after the war. Because Mr. Dedman has been tentatively regarded as the likely future Postwar Reconstruction Minister, his views are seen as a pointer to the Government's post-war policy. Mr. Dedman described as "crazy" the suggestions that the Commonwealth would use its increased powers to inipose additional restrictions on civilian production and consumption after the war. There would be plenty of post-war scope for individual enterprise and individual success, and even for individual failure.

Amendments Approved By Public

Amendments to the Wider Powers Bill to guarantee freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion and freedom from bureaucracy, have been moved by the Attorney-General, Dr. Evatt. The amendments were moved as a result of unanimous decisions by the full Cabinet and the Labour'caucus. Freedom from bureaucracy is safeguarded by, the ensuring of Parliamentary supervision of delegated legislative powers. Wide agitation has been made for the inclusion of these freedom guarantees in the new Constitutional Powers Bill, and Dr. Evatt's amendments have given great satisfaction.

Safeguards Welcomed

"These guarantees remove any objection that reasonable people might have felt to giving the Commonwealth wider controls over the national economy," says the Sydney Daily Telegraph in an editorial today. "Only dyed-in-the-wool parochial State-righters will now oppose the referendum, which was in great danger before Dr. Evatt persuaded the Cabinet to insert these safeguards." The president of the New South Wales Constitutional Association, Dr. Frank Louat, said that the Government's decision to strengthen the bill by three guarantees was a triumph for the democratic method under which laws could still be reshaped tbrough the influence of public opinion. It was also a personal triumph for Dr. Evatt, whose Australian outlook and sense of statesmanship had guided him to render a lasting public service.