MR. LANG'S PLANS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 59, 10 March 1926, Page 9

MR. LANG'S PLANS

IN CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS

ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR

LONDON/

' (From Our' Own Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, sth March,

The vote of the Legislative Council last week on the Bill to abolish that Chamber ; effectively quenched Mr. Lang's cherished hopes, of the New South Wales Upper HouseJ-a severe brake on the Labour Premier's headstrong plans—being sent out of existence ,rapidly. What must have been annoying to the Premier was the fact that two supposedly Labour henchmen, Messrs. Bryant, and Pereival, voted against the Bill, and thus turned an .equal division into a defeat by four. Votes. Other Labour members absented themselves, thus proving that a split had occurred in the Labour ranks. The executive of the A.L.P. will probably deal"with all these delinquents in its, own undemocratic of politically beheading them, but meanwhile that is small consolation to Mr. Lang. Yet he is not defeated. "The fight is still on," he grimly told interview ers. "I have my own plans." Nor did he pay any but the most scornful heed •to a challenge by Mr. Bavin,. Leader of the Opposition, that the Labour. Government should resign and seek the opinion of the electors on the matter.

Part of Mr. Lang's plans were revealed by ah announcement during the we,ek-end. This was to the effect that the Attorney-General (Mr. M'Tiernan) would be leaving for London within a few weeks. Mr. M'Tiernan, aided perhaps by the brilliant young constitutionalist (Dr. Eyatt). had been Mr. Lang's adviser in the present 'Upper House issue. There is 'no doubt that ■the centre of Mr. M'Tiernan's activities in England will be Downing street. Mr. Lang is credited with a belief that if he were to ask the Governpr for a further batch of Legislative Council appointees, following ut>on the squad of 25 he secured in December, the Governor might refuse. "Mr. M'Tiernan's' job will be to-obtain a ruling from the Dominions Office that the Govern-or-must be guided by the advice offered by the Ministry, and that he should ndt exercise'the prerogative of having a final say in the.matter. It is understood that Mr. Lang believes his envoy win have'little difficulty in securing such a ruling, but others there are who hold contrary opinions.' For instance, "The Sun" puts it rather wittily: "Undoubtedly he is the right man for the job. Having, by combined wisdom and subtlety, conquered the Governor, he seems to be the one. man in the Ministry'who will be. able to outflank the King. He will not find it an easy task. News of his coming will 'inline-' diately be cabled to Buckingham Palace;. and all-the forces of precedent will, rally round the Sovereign." A memorial protesting against the Upper House abolition has already been sent to the Dominions Office, and one of Mr. M'Tiernan's tasks will be to tender evidence in. refutation of this.

Another New South Wales Minister who will be in England this year is Mr. Dunn, who holds the portfolio of Agriculture. This will involve a slight reshuffling of the Cabinet. Mr. Lang will have the services of Mr. Coaxes, an honorary Minister, and Mr. Flannery, Assistant Minister of Health and Local Government to dispose of, but the probabilities aro that Mr. Loun-ti-lin, at present Minister of Lands, will also handle Mr. Dunn's Department, and Mr. M'Kell, the Minister of Justice, will also beqome acting AttorneyGeneral. ■...'■ i