AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2557, 3 September 1915, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS

DEFENCE OF NORTON GRIFFITHS' WORKS LOAN. By Telegraph—Press Association-ConrriVtit Sydney, September 2. In the New South AVales Assembly Mt. AVado (Leider of the Opposition), in moving ,a censure motion that tiio agreement with Norton Grifiit'lis is unsatisfactory and fraught with gravo danger to the State, pointed out that tho contract was condemned two years ago because supreme control was given the contractor to strike a blow at the vital principle of day labour. He referred to tho absence of fair competition and said there was no limit stipulated to tile amount the compaity spent, and no guarantee Hot to bo behindhand with contracts at the end- of tho live years. He thought tho propor thing for tlio Government to havo done was to have borrowed ten millionsj spreading ovor the five years. The Premier (Mr. A\'. A. Holman) replied that in. December last 23,000 men were dependent on public works. The Broken Hill mines were closing down, and there wero clear indications of an impending industrial calamity. Tho necessity of the hour was continuity <jf work. There was ombargo on loans' oxcept for war purposes. Tlio Government and the people lived literally from hand to mouth for four months. The firm offered the only financial servico possible to keep tho workmen from starvation. There wero good reasons for condemning the scheme, but better ones for applauding it. He would deploro the abandonment .of the day labour principle, but accepted' the lesser of two evils. The fact that' tlio Government had entered upon the 6chemo in faco of serious Labour opposition ought to guarantee; its honefty of purpose. The motion was negatived by 37 votes to 23.