LABOR IN AUSTRALIA

Evening Star, Issue 19126, 18 December 1925, Page 5

LABOR IN AUSTRALIA

ALLEGED BRIBERY PLOT PARTY TAKEN TO TASK. Press Association— By Telegraph—CopyrightAustralian and N.Z. Press Association. SYDNEY, December IS. (Received December 18, at 9 a.m.) The alleged Nationalist plot to buy Labor members in order to secure a majority to oust the State Government is still causing much heart-burning in Labor ranks. An official statement issued by the Australian Workers’ Union says that the Labor caucus should have realised that for the vindication of its honor it was incumbent upon it to call for tho resignation of Mr A. C. Willis (vice-president of the executive council) and even to send the matter for further action to tho annual conference. Tho statement declares that when a member of the. Government uses the newspapers in his control to give publicity to a story disgraceful to other members of the Government and the party supporting it, and does it without a scrap of proof, then it is imperative that ho should bo sternly dealt with. Tho caucus would only have been complying with Die barest necessities of the case if it had declared that such a person was unfit to hold a position of tnJ.t within the, party. Mr T. R. Bavin, Leader of the Opposition. in the House asked Mr Lang, in view of the fact that the caucus had decided to compel tho newspaper ‘ Labor Daily ’ to withdraw its baseless reflections on tin Labor members, whether be would see that the, reflections cast on tho Nationalists in connection with tho case were also withdrawn. Mr Lang replied that ho had enough to do to lead his own party without worrying about tho, Nationalists. Ho suggested that it was Mr Bavin’s job to "defend his own party. QUEENSLAND EXTREMISTS. BRISBANE. December 13. (Received December 18, at 11.15 a.m.) A movement has been initiated to form an organised Left wing within tho Labor Party, composed of members who refused to sign the anti-C'ommnnisi pledge.