STATE LOTTERY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 131, 1 December 1930, Page 8

STATE LOTTERY

MOVES IN NEW SOUTH WALES

MR. LANG'S STRATEGY

(From "The Post's" Representative.) ] SYDNEY, 20th November. T-he expectation that the New South Wales Government will establish a State lottery, and so follow the example of Queensland, hangs partly on the proceedings last week at a meeting of the Australian Loan Council. When ho was last in power the Premier of tho State (Mr. Lang) thwarted all moves to establish a lottery, even though the majority of the members of his party were in favour of it, and in some quarters great surpriso has been expressed when he does not deny the rumours that a lottery would bo established. Labour has always been inclined to favour the lottery plan as a means' of raising money, but when pressure was last put upon Mr. Lang ho is reported to have replied: "While there is a Labour Government in Tasmania and in Queensland there will bo no State lottery in New South Wales." In those days (1925-27) the BrucePago Government had been in power for many years, and as' it seemed strongly entrenched in tho Federal Parliament there was a strong tie between the Labour States. When tho Premiers met, as they did on occasions, Mr. Lyons, who was Premier of Tasmania and is now Federal Treasurer, never failed to point out how Tasmania benefited from the conduct of a certain "consultation," Mr. Lang1 was sympathetic to a fellow apostle of ■Labour. But now the paths of Mr. Lang and Mr. Lyons have diverged on the question of Australia's loan policy. More than that Mr. Lyons gave no help to Mr.' Lang's party during tho recent New South Wales election. In those days too there was a Labour Government in Queensland, and Queensland, it was known, was drawing heavily on New South Wales for the success of its Golden Casket art union for the hospitals. Now a National Government has control in Queensland, so Mr. Lang has no further interest in that State. He is not that sort of a Labour man; he is not a statesman in the National sense of the term. He can see a chance of raising some money—easy money—and he is not likely, lo worry whether it will hit any other State. The idea is to use tho money for the hospitals, Which aro in a very impoverished state. Mr. Lang is certain to, have the support of a majority of party, but he will be unable to get the measure past the Legislative Council unless he crams it with Labour secretaries and other Labour stalwarts, including his mother-in-law, as he proposes to do. It is estimated that about 40 per cent, (about £80,000 annually) of tho money received by the Queensland Golden Casket has come from. New South Wales. Probably a greater amount goes to Tasmania. If New So.uth Wales decided upon a lottery, it seems certain that Victoria, for its own protection, will do likewise. The idea has already been discussed, but the' Cabinet has not made a decision. It looks as if its hand will be forced.