ANGRY DEBATE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18526, 30 October 1925, Page 11

ANGRY DEBATE.

SCENES IN N.S.W. ASSEMBLY. REINSTATEMENT OF 1917 STRIKERS. i (by CABLE—PBISS ASSOCIATION—rOPTHIOKT.) (AUSTRALIAN AXD X.Z. CABLS ASSOCIATION.} (Received October 29th, 10.30 p.ir..) SYDNEY, October •:?. In tl;c Assembly. Mr sprang a surprise l>y moving leave to in trainee a Bill to validate certain actions of the Railway Commissioners in connexion with the regrading of the 1917" strike loyalists, lie intimated that ilie Government intended to force the Bill through ;it ono sitting, and he moved the suspension of the standing orders to enable this. Tito motion was carried :imid disorder, qnd the Bill was introduced. Mr Lang explained that the Bill was necessary to removo a technicality which had arisen through the decision of tho Court rendering illegal certain acts of the Commissioners relating to tho reinstatement of railway employees. Mr Lang :;ddcd that unless the Act were, passed, the railway service would be thrown into the utmost confusion. Mr Bavin opened an angry debate, wherein lie charged the Government with forcing the hands of the. Railway Commissioners, with unfairness to the people and with brow-beating tho loyalist men of tho service who were unable to defend themselves. The Government had not yet won. The Bill had to go to the Legislative Council, and. if th& Council accepted a Bill deliberately designed to reward disloyalty and dishonour, and punish loyalty and honour, then ifc would be a good thins if the Council wero wiped out of existence. The debate was one of the bitterest and hottest ever heard in the House. Mr Bruxncr said that the Goveniirent wa3 prepared to back up anybody who wanted to seo the wheels of transport stopped and the country plunged into chaos. They wero paving the way for a similar state of affairs as existed in Queensland. Other speakers fiercely attacked Lho Government, hut amid continued excitement tho speeches were shortened by the frequent us© of the "guillotine," and the Bill was forced through all stages and seat to the Council before the House rose. It is anticipated that the Council will reject it. [Mr Lang, Premier of New South Wales, issued a ukase to the Railway Commissioners last July, ordering the .restoration of the seniority of men who were disrated as a result of the great' 1917 railway and tramway strike. Loyalists who obtained promotion as tho result of the disrating of the. strikers, and who will now ■bo reclassified in order to restore pre-strike seniority, will continue to receive their •present pay.' Tho Government will reimburse the Commissioners the extra cost -involved, running iato a largo sum. One of the disrated loyalist officers is seeking an injunction to re- j strain the Railway Commissioners from j carrying out the Government's orders in the matter. Another test case at Common Law, arising out of the sama circumstances, is pending against the Commissioners, in which a disrated loyalist is claiming substantial dam- 1 ages.] ~ j