ABOLITION BILL

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 100, 22 January 1926, Page 9

ABOLITION BILL

HOT DEBATES IN NEW SOUTH WALES PARLIAMENT

LIFE RAILWAY PASSES FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS

CHARGES OF BRIBERY

By Telegraph.—Press Association Copyright.

Sydney, January 21. . Besides the heated debates in the two Houses over the abolition of the Legislative Council, a fierce controversy is proceeding in the Press, chiefly on the condemnatory side. Widespread indignation is expressed against members accepting gold life railways passes for the sole purpose of destroying the Council. This is freely described as bribery. An ‘ndignation campaign is being organised, and arrangements are being made for a series of meetings throughout the city and suburbs at which Mr. Bavin, Leader of the Opposition, and other prominent opponents of Mr. Lang’s methods, will deliver addresses. In the Legislative Assembly, the Attorney-General, Mr. McTiernan, in moving the second reading of the Bill granting gold passes to members of the Council, indignantly denied the allegation of bribery. He said that it was impossible to make any differentiation between old and new members in granting the passes. He appealed to the Opposition to cease making insulting charges which were baseless. The charge of bribery was malicious and magilnant propaganda. Mr. Bavin declared that in the past passes had been granted members to enable them to perform legislative i duties, but now the Government proposed to grant passes to members who had no duties to perform. Much of the opposition to the proposal would have been removed if the Government had first abolished the Council, -and then asked the House, to make some recognition of the sendees of the members affected. The Leader of the Country Party also strongly attacked the. Government’s action over the Council. After a number of other condemnatory speeches, the closure was applied, and the Bill read a second time by 41 votes to 38.—Prass Assn. BILL IN THE COUNCIL FIRST READING CARRIED Sydney, January 20. In the Legislative Council the Government won the first round in connection with the Abolition Bill, the motion for the introduction of the Bill being carried by 45 votes to 43. The Labour members who had paired refrained from voting. The Bill was read a first time, and formally adjourned. The general opinion is that the Bill will be carried by one vote.—Press .Assn.