AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 March 1945, Page 6

AUSTRALIA

banktng’legislation CANBERRA, March 21. Mr. Menzies, Leader of the Opposition, in the House of Representatives to-night, opened an Opposition attack on the Government’s proposed banking legislation. He said the Government’s" banking bills were really aiming at a continuation of the emergency rules into a period when emergency conditions would have disappeared. The whole matter was, therefore, another striking -example of the Government’s desire to perpetuate in Australia what has been epigrammaticaliy called “the servile State.” The. industrial, bank gave the Government almost unlimited powers. Certain scepticism had arisen in the public mind about opposition to the bills. He, therefore, desired to make it clear to the House and the people that, if those who sat with him were returned to office in future they would take prompt steps to restore board control, to the Commonwealth Bank, with political independence for central bank functions, and in all other respects they would hold themselves obliged instantly to review the working of this legislation with the object of bringing it into line with what, they believed to be stable requirements of the people. SAILORS~ADRIFT BRISBANE, March 22.. Nine men are adrift on a raft in the Coral Sea. They are believed to be survivors of the crew of the Allied merchant vessel which sent but an SOS during the recent cyclone The raft was sighted by patrolling aircraft, which dropped food and water, which was picked up by the men. Further attempts to rescue the men will be made to-day.