AUST. DEPORTATIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 August 1925, Page 5

AUST. DEPORTATIONS

FEDERAL COVT’S RESOLVE.

SPECIAL POLICE FORCE FORMED

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.'!

MELBOURNE, Aug. 28.

A sensation was caused in the House of Representatives when Mr. Bruce announced that, following on the refusal of the New South Wales Government to allow the police force* to take part in any deportation" action, the Federal Government proposed to bring in a Bill immediately o constitute a special Federal Polici Force to carry out the deportation provision of the Federal Immigration Act.

The Bill aims at giving the Federa 1 Government the power to carry out deportation provisions in the Immigration Act without calling upon the State Governments to take any executive action.

Mr. Charlton (Labour Leader) speaking emotionally, charged the Government with leaving the House completely in the dark as to the reasons behind the resolution. Mr Bruce, in reply, said that the reasons would be explained during the second reading.

The debate on the Bill provoked .further dissention, and for tqn minutes there was an astonishing uproar.

Mr. Bruce then moved the closure and a further din followed. The closure was carried. Later the original resolution, seeking leave to bring jn the bill, was agreed to by 35 to 22. A motion that tli'e standing orders be suspended to enable the bill to pass all stages was also carried amid further disorder. When the Senate . met Senator Pearce moved, at its rising that the Senate adjourn until Saturday. He explained that the motion was due to the N.S.W. Government’s extraordinary attitude in refusing to allow its police to carry out Federal laws. The Government therefore found it''necessary to introduce legislation creating special officers. The reason for Senator Pearce's motion is to have the bill pass both Houses this week.

ALL NIGHT SITTING.

MELBOURNE, Aug. 28

The House of Representatives read a second time the police bill. Mr. Bruce said the Government was prepared to appeal to the people for the bill’s justification. He emphasised that the Government would not tolerate insidious foreign propaganda which disturbed Australia and temporarily paralysed its trade. He also read Mr. Lang’s statement and said, that he had telegraphed Mr. Lang asking him would he 'support the Commonwealth in its action to preserve industrial peace, but has received no reply. He then telegraphed the Premier’s Office asking a similar question. The/Premier’s Office replied that Mr. Lang’s statement could be taken as a reply to the telegram. The House of Representatives are sitting all night dealing with the bill. The closure will be applied at eight o’clock on Saturday morning, and the bill is expected to reach the Senate when it meets at eleven o’clock.

MR. LANG’S STATEMENT

SYDNEY, August 28

It is ascertained that the Federal Government proposes to take deportation proceedings against Mr. Tom Walsh and . Mr. Johannsen. .’he Board will sit on Saturday. When interviewed, Johannsen denied that he had received a summons to attend 'the Deportation Board. Mr. Lang, commenting on the appointment of the Deportation Board said: “This Board would have power io deport any citizen of the Commonwealth. The Federal Government, has power over immigration and emigration. Now it is claiming the right to deport citizens under . any pretext that it chooses to raise. I do not be.ieve that any Court in the British Empire would sustain any such claim. Jertainly, he said, the States of Australia wore not aware that their citizen rights would be so bartered when .hey had voted for the Federation.” Mr. Lang concluded that, had Mr. Bruce left the matter alone, he (Mr. Lang) would venture to say that every thing would have been satisfactorily "ettlcd at an early date. The steps which Mr. Bruce now threatens to take will only aggravate the situation and will load to an extension of the industrial turmoil. Mr. Bruce can hardly expect the co-operation of the States when his ilolicy is so manifestly crude and disruptive.