CHARGES MADE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 146, 21 June 1923, Page 7

CHARGES MADE

SALE OF FEDERAL MILLS

LABOUR IMPUTES SINISTER MOTIVES

DISMISSED AS POISON GAS,

(UNITED THESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.) (.Received 21st June, 11 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. In the House of Representatives, Mr. Anstey's amendment was defeated by 39 votes to 25. The third assault of the Labour Party was then launched by Mr. Scullin, who attacked the Government over the sacrifice of the Commonwealth woollen mills at Geelong. When Mr. Scullin launched his attack on the Government he made sensational statements that Melbourne warehouses were behind the Government and were responsible for the doom of the woollen mills. He imputed most sinister motives to Ministers, and claimed that the iacts brought forward during the debate revealed a state of affairs rivalling the so-called wireless scandal. Tile burden of his attack was that the Government had been influenced by Flinders street interests in selling the woollen mills. He declared that the money masters hated the mill, because it was. taking their profits and because, it exposed their profiteering. The concern, worth £300,000, had been sold for £]55,000. Mr. Scullen alleged that the Returned Soldiers' Association had offered a security of £57,000, but this had been turned down in favour of those offering a. much smaller security. He inferred sinister motives in connection with various phases of the transaction, and declared that if Labour were returned to power it would be justified in resuming the mill lor the people on the flame basis as it was sold.

During the debate, Labour members referred to "hidden hands," conspiracy, and the ''{lower of money operating behiurl the The Prime Minister (Mr. S. M. Bruce), replying estated that the Government had twice called ior tenders throughout the world for the mill, and accepted the best price offering. He declared that, Mr. fcicullin's estimates were made in the boom years of woollen, trade, and would not stand now. In regard to the soldiers' offer, he said the demand in that direction had greatly fallen off, and that the mill's usefulness in supplying the Government was ended. The real issue between the Ministry and the Opposition was that the Ministry was opposed to Government trading enterprises, and the Opposition advocated them. He warmly declared that there was not a scintilla of truth in the charges against the good faith of the Ministry. - The Ministry had done everything in full light of day. The Government had stood three attacks—from Mr. Charlton with his big artillery, from Mr. Anstey with his light artillery, but the worst had fallen to Mr. Scullin. He had produoed poison gas. The motion was defeated by 34 to 2G, the voting- being on strictly party lines!