LANG WILL FIGHT ON

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 99, 21 January 1926, Page 7

LANG WILL FIGHT ON

NOT TAKING NOTICE OF DEFEATS '

DETERMINED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHALL GO

PLANS FOR FUTURE

The New South Wales Premier declares that he will win in the end, and is determined that the Legislative Council shall go.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Copyright.

Sydney, January 20.

Tile Premier, Sir. J. T. Lang, in an interview, referring to the Government’s latest defeat in the Legislative Council, said: “I will win in the end, and I do not intend to take any notice of a defeat at this juncture. I have determined that tlie Council shall go, and go it shall if it takes' a fight of twenty rounds. Cabinet is absolutely unanimous in its decisions on the matter, and is prepared to immediately introduce a Bill to bring about the initiative, referendum, and recall.” It is anticipated that the Legislative Council Abolition Bill will be defeated this week, and Mr. Lang then proposes to close tlie session and to call another special session, and, in the event of a further defeat, a further special session. Should he suffer defeat a third time he will then take advantage of the Constitution and declare vacant the seats of those members of the Council who have been absent from two special sessions. In the meantime the Australian Labour Conference will have been asked to adopt a motion placing the selection of members of the Council solely in the hands of the Premier. Armed with this power, he will select a number of additional members and go to the Governor tor their appointment. Mr. Lang expressed confidence that the Governor, having been told by the Home authorities that he must obey his responsible Ministers, would have to make the appointments, and then the Premier will call another special session and with his increased and fully-pledged supporters, would carry tlie abolition proposals.—Press Assn. INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL Sydney, Januarv 19. Mr. J. T. Lang, the State Premier, announced that the Cabinet, at a special meeting, had decided to introduce a Bill in the Legislative Assembly, providing for the initiative, the referendum, and the recall, which is based on the Swiss svstem. Tins provides that if elected representatives »re not carrying out their avowed policy, groups of electorates may, by petition, demand that it be carried out, and then, if Parliament rejects such legislation, a referendum may be demanded, and if the policy is then not endorsed, the electors may demand the recall of’the Parliamentarians. This Bill will not be introduced lor some time. —Press Assn.

THE LATEST REVERSE

COUNCIL INSISTS ON AMENDMENTS

Sydney, January 19. The Governmeut again suffered a scveie reverse in the Bcgis h’ tlv ® Council, when Sir Joseph Carruthers presented the report of Select Coin* mittce of the House as to the reasons why the Council insisted on its amendnients to the Parliamentary Electorates The report stated that the Council was constitutionally right in making the amendments it thought necessary, as the provisions, of the Governmeut Bill had not received the approval oi “W'S: Willi., UaO" «> •'« <-■»»- cil, strongly appealed to the House to reject the report, and thus carry the Bill in its original form, but on a division the report was adopted by Ji V °A eS motion’ bv Sir Joseph Carruthers, stating that the Council insisted on the amendments to the Bill, was then the defeat of the Government, Dlr. Willis postponed the Abohtion ot the Legislative Council Bin until to-morrow, and the House adjourned.—Press Assn. ABOLITION BILL IN COUNCIL CONDEMNED BY NEW LABOUR APPOINTEE (Rec. January 20, 11.20 p.m.) Sydney, January 20. The Legislative Assembly, by 45 votes to 41, discharged the Electoral Bill from the order paper. nn,,;,. Dlr. Lang, replying to Mr. Bavm, said he had no intention of flouting the people. The Council would oe abolished now or later without any refereilWhen the Legislative Council met the galleries were crowded, and tlie an electrical. Dlr. Willis X moved for leave to introduce the Abolition Bill. , T , Mr. Alam, one of the new Labour appointees, declared that Labour would be blundering by abolishing the Chamber.—Press Assn.