J. S. GARDEN EXPELLED

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 199, 20 May 1936, Page 11

J. S. GARDEN EXPELLED

Australian Labour Party CRISIS MAY BE RESULT (Received May 19, 8.40 p.m.) Sydney, May 19. By 19 votes to 1, Mr. J. S. Garden, M.P., was expelled from the Labour Party nt a meeting of the State executive of the Australian Labour Party last night. Mr. Garden appeared before the executive to explain charges of alleged disloyalty made by him at a meeting of the Labour Council in March last. In his defence Mr. Garden repeated many of his allegations but admitted that certain other charges he had made were capable of qualification. The executive held that Mr. Garden had failed to substantiate his charges against the president, Mr. P. J. Keller, and the organising secretary, Mr. J. B. Martin, and that, the charges were disruptive and likely to impair the unity of the party. The "Sydney Morning Herald” says it is expected that the expulsion of Mr. Garden will precipitate one of the biggest crises in the history of the Lang Labour movement, and according to many Labour officials, may result in the overthrow of Mr. Lang. Mr. Garden, in an interview to-day, declared that he would appeal at the next Easter Labour conference against the executive's decision. “I have been expelled before for a principle, and time has proved me right, as it will do again. I am as deeply concerned as anyone about the need for unity in the Labour movement, but I am equally insistent that no dictator shall dominate the Australian Labour Party. Might is not always right.” Mr. Garden’s expulsion by the State branch carries with it expulsion from Parliamentary caucus or party room at Canberra, where developments are now awaited.

Labour circles are gravely perturbed at the expulsion of Mr. Garden, which, it is feared, will intensify the faction fight already begun over the control of Labour’s broadcasting station. Although Mr. Garden has been removed from the Labour Party, he still remains a member of the Labour Council, which represents the most active unions of the State and includes many unions affiliated with the State Labour Party. He thus has a large following representing the industrial wing, which is capable of completely dividing Labour’s forces in this State. This aspect is causing most anxiety to Federal Labour politicians, who fear that the breach between Mr. Lang and Mr. Garden will be most difficult to heal and will probably have repercussions at the next election, which is wbat they wanted to avoid.

Newspapers recall that Mr. Garden was responsible for the “red rules” which gave Mr. Lang complete control over the Labour Party and provided political careers for several prominent men in the Labour movement.