THE NEW GUARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 July 1932, Page 12

THE NEW GUARD

DISTRIBUTION OF CONTROL. SYDNEY, July 1. Mi- Eric Campbell, the leader of the New Guard, speaking at a rally at the Town Hall last night, said that the New Guard was getting too big for one man to control. It was his initention to ask the convention of “localities” to relieve him from detailed work and to distribute control, in time of “peace” at any rate. Mr Campbell also said that since the change of Government the military section was not needed in such large numbers. He would suggest a peace establishment of 15 battalions, which would be available to assist the Government in upholding law and order, if the police were not strong enough to do so. The Town Hall was filled. Mr Campbell was enthusiastically welcomed as he walked up the aisle, preceded by standard-bearers and accompanied by a guard of honour. The other. speakers included Mr Lamb, K.C., and the Rev. H. C. Foreman. Times had changed, said Mi- Lamb, since the previous rally in May. The Government was . now trusted by the people of New South Wales, of the Commonwealth, and of the British Empire. Six hundred thousand people of New South Wales had expressed agreement at the election with the views of the New Guard, and had got rid of Mr Lang, who represented the Communists, a section which ought not to be represented at all. Mr Lang, unwittingly, had done more than anyone for the New Guard. He had made it necessary. A resolution, moved by Mr de Groot and carried with acclamation, called on the Federal Government and the Government of New South Wales to take steps forthwith to rid the State of Communists. Mr Campbell said that the New Guard had undoubtedly saved New 'South Wales from bloodshed during the last few months. All that they were reasonably certain of was that they had got a three years’ reprieve. Never must men of the type who Tiad been recently deposed from power have the opportunity of wrecking the State. The people must have a charter of liberty, which would limit the functions of the Governments to the jobs they were sent in to do. Referring to the question of employment, Mr Campbell said that finding work for people was merely dealing with a result, not with the cause. ' The Government should get rid of the useless half of the. Civil servants, and so make industry free from the shackles of over-taxation, and allow it to have money to spend on that expansion which alone could bifing about employment and rehabilitation. Mr Foreman, speaking not as a minister nor as president of the Methodist Conference, said that there was no positive reason why the British Empire should have been built up merely to go over a precipice. The Government would help New South Wales by honesty and sane legislation, but the people must help themselves. Regeneration would be possible only when there was a revival of religion and a cultivation of -the ideals foi' which the Church stood.