SERIOUS REVERSES

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 78, 27 December 1926, Page 9

SERIOUS REVERSES

SUFFERED BY NEW SOUTH WALES GOVERNMENT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL PROTESTS AGAINST BREACH OF FAITH APPROPRIATION BILL POSTPONED The New South Wales Government has suffered three more reverses, the Legislative Council carrying a motion protesting against the Government’s actions, and adjourning the debate on the Appropriation Bill until January 11. An effort to get the resolution rescinded and the Appropriation Bill passed was unsuccessful. By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright,

Sydney, December 21. Tn the lyegislative Council Sir Joseph Carruthers launched a surprise attack on the Government, first obtaining leave, by 41 votes to 26, to submit a motion recording the Council’s protest against holding the present session of Parliament, on the ground that it was unconstitutional and involved a breach of faith on the part of the Government. In moving the motion subsequently Sir Joseph quoted Acts of Parliament passed in Victoria and Tasmania, requiring fourteen days’ notice when ParLament was summoned before the due date of the expiry of prorogation. He said that in all his forty years’ experience of public life he knew of no instance where a Premier had broken his word like Mr. Lang. The motion was then carried by 41 votes to 39

It is understood that this resolution will be forwarded to the Governor, and will enable him, if he. desires, to exercise his powers and dismiss the Ministry for having given him wrong advice.

The Government later sustained a vital reverse, Mr. Robson moving that the debate on the Appropriation Bill be adjourned until January 11, the date on which it was originally intended that Parliament should reassemble. This was carried by 40 votes to 39.. It has the effect of postponing the Budget until that date. The Council then carried the .first reading of the Publications Tax Bill.

MOTION PRESENTED TO GOVERNOR

■ Sydney, December 24. 4 Sir. Joseph Carruthers’s motion, which will be presented by address to the Governor, states that the House submits that the course taken by the Ministers is a breach of the understanding given by the Premier. It further submits that the summoning of Parliament before the expiration of the period for which it was prorogued is not only a breach of the Premier’s undertaking, but is also contrary to law and constitutes a grave menace to the wdrking of our system of Parliamentary government. , -

VIEW ON COUNCIL’S PROTEST

ATTEMPT TO SECURE RESCISSION FAILS

(Rec. December 26, 5.5 p.m.) Sydney, December 24. In the Legislative Assembly to-day Mr. Lang introduced a Bill to amend the Main Roads Act, under which the Government will earmark certain por-

tions of the roads grant for revenue purposes. In the face of strong Opposition protests the Government applied the gag and rushed the Bill through all stages. ! The Attorney-General, referring to the Legislative Council’s protest against the alleged unconstitutional assembling of Parliament, quoted what he claimed as precedents for the Government’s action. The resolution, as far as he was aware, would have no effect. If *.ny protest was to be made it would have to be made through the Government, not to the Governor. In the Legislative Council Mr. Willis moved as a matter of urgency that the House should consider the rescission of the resolution adopted yesterday, and moved the adjournment of the debate on the Appropriation Bill. This was carried on the casting vote of the President of the Council. The giotion to consider the rescission was then put and negatived by 29 votes to 26. The Government’s second attempt to get the Appropriation Bill passed therefore went by the board. The Council passed the Newspaper Tax Bill bv 27 votes to ll.s Mr. Ashton condemned the Bill because metropolitan newspapers, which were of most service to the country, would be taxed, while second-rate journals would be allowed to go free. Mr. Shakespeare, speaking on behalf of the country Press, denied that newspapers were profiteering, and • declared that no paper in Svdney could afford to sell for less than threehalf-pence, and undoubtedly if the tax were imposed the new price would be twopence.

BOTH HOUSES ADJOURN ft (Rec. December 26, 5.5 p.m.) Sydney, December 26. Both Houses passed the final stages of the Newspaper Tax and Main Roads Bills, involving Government taxation proposals, and adjourned till January 11. SENSATIONAL EPISODE UNSEEMLY SCUFFLE (Rec. December 26, 5.5 p.m.) Sydney, December 26. A sensational episode occurred in Parliament after both Houses had adjourned on Friday and the seasonal reunion had taken place. T . Members allege that Mr. Lang was attacked by Mr. Voltaire Molesworth, a former Labour member, also that Mr. Molesworth had an altercation with Mr. Keegan, a Labour member, who suffered slight abrasions. An unseemly scuffle ensued, during which Mr. Molesworth received a cut on the face. He was then escorted from the building.