Labour in Australia

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 219, 12 June 1933, Page 11

Labour in Australia

Sir, —As I have read with interest certain comments concerning. Australian politics, and the Australian Labour Party. I beg space, as a niember of the A.L.P. for seventeen years, and of the Labour movement for twenty-two years, to clarify the air a little concerning the present storm in the tea-cup within the party. The trouble began in 1927. when it was discovered that Mr. Peter Loughlin (at that time a Labour member of Mr. Lang’s Government and at present a supporter of the Stevens-Bruxner Government) was aspiring to leadership, but was defeated by Mr. Lang’s .supporters in caucus. In order to avoid further trouble the party decided to hold a unity conference, to give both sides an opportunity of stating their case. According to the rules of the A.L.P., New South Wales branch, no.member, of Parliament can hold an executive position in the party or vote on any matter before conference, and can only speak, on such matters as conference may decide, thus giving' rank-and-file control. My. Lang in outlining his case stated that if it were considered in the interests of unitv that be should step down from the leadership be would willingly do so. However. after hearing both sides to the dispute, the conference decided overwhelmingly in favour of Mr. Lang. Unfortunately, certain influences succeeded in carrying the dispute into the Federal arena, and an all-Australian Congress was held in Melbourne in September. 1932. in order to create unity, where all States throughout the Commonwealth were represented. The outcome was that Mr. Lang was asked to enter Federal politics, and to lead the Australian Labour Party at the forthcoming general elections, which he has agreed to do. The popularity of Mr. Lang’s leadership has just been demonstrated in the Bitlli by-election, New South Wales, where his party’s candidate (approved by the United Australian Party, the Communist Party, and Mr. A. C. Willis, exM.L.C.. supported by the Theodore-Baily breakaway Labour Party, the president of which, Mr. P. C. Coleman. ex-M.11.R., took the platform on his behalf), was returned with the largest majority on record. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind as to who the insurgents are—■ they certainly wore never meant to be members of Labour organisations.—l am, etc.. W. DALLY. Palmerston North, June 8.