KING AND COUNTRY!

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11453, 2 March 1931, Page 5

KING AND COUNTRY!

N.S.W. FARMERS RISE UP AGAINST LANG . TALK OF NEW* STATE TO BE CALLED “NEW ENGLAND” TRIUMPH FOR DR. EARLE PAGE U.P,Av By Elec . Tel. Copyright) (Received March I, 5.5. pJhO ~ . ; , "SYDNEY, Alaroli 1. Plans to form a new State namqd Now England and set up a proyisioip al government should Afr Kang 4ft l fault,were approved by a convention at Armidale yesterday, Meiiibers " of the. Federal and State legislatures were aftiong those participating; - A suggestion to hold a fqrendum before giving the,provisional, executive a free hand found few supporters,.

The meeting affirmed its loyalty to the -King and the Commonwealth, the mover, of "this, resolution, Air Drummond/ a member of the Assembly, saying that this was to counter any suggestion that the new State movement, was a disloyal conspiracy. The decisions are regarded as a personal triumph for Dr. Earle Pag o who, in the course of a vigorous speech, declared that if the country’s assets secured , with loans were not reproductive, it was not the fault of those who had lent Australia money But of tli 0 rotten governments she had; had. :

. Eight thousand farmers from . all quarters of the Riverina met afc Wagga . and unanimously resolved that, unless the Federal and State governments take steps before Afarch 31 to secure a drastic reduction in government costs and give relief to the primary and secondary industries, a referendum will be taken bn Riverina’s right to control her own affairs, and, if necessary, to secede from the Federation. "

Addressing , tho gathering, Air Charles Hardy, leader of the movement for reform, said:—

“If by telling the people the truth I am guilty of sedition and if Air Lang proposes to prosecute then lqt him prosecute and be damned to him.”

He said that, many farmers were “broke” but the Riverina men would neyer stand for repudiation. All they wanted was justice and relief from the unfair burdens of higher costs squeezing them against the nether millstone of reduced income. The Government was .to blame because it was divided into cliques, whose intrigues gave rise to various ideas of finance, each more fantastic than the (other.

LULL IN HOAIE CRITICISAI. ECONO AIIC STUDENTS BEWILDERED. FIDUCIARY ISSUE WOULD FURTHER HARAf EXCHANGE, (U P,A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 1, 5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 28; There is a relative lull in the dis.of Australia’s financial maze. Well-informed circles confess that it is duo to the bewilder-* ment of trying to follow the political convulsions and they' havo tm’pre of (leas resigned themselves, waiting for Cabinet to disclose its hand in Parliament next week. On the same ground, the fiduciary issue has passed almost without comment, but it is generally agreed that' it has sounded tho death knell of any early alleviation of the exchange position. It is beyond doubt that the outside exchange "'market in vim’hal|ly .dried] HP* ; _ . • An, interesting theory is that it is, due to speculators’ fear of, being caught by : sudden' developments. Those arriving with" Australian pounds are finding them worth 12s 6d and then only tourists’ agencies are buying them.

The decision of South Africa to ban Australian silver currency is probably - due to flourists seeking ihiit (loophole to - avoifd exchange. Many Australians are arriving in London bringing (accumulations of British silver -coinage. Oho woman this week landed with £57 worth.

“Mr. Theodore is a much wilier person than Mr, Lang,” says . the Manchester Guardian in a, leader.

“Whole denouncing .ME Lang’s debt repudiation he has, (it says) produced, fine founding schemes, the adoption of which would ruin-the-creditors’ security. If- the currency issue plan ,is carried out, •wo , expect., (to" ■ see the exchange rate': on Australian pounds nearer two Hundred percent, than one hundred (in. a, ’(few inionths, for the Federal Government will be in the. sharpest conflict with Australian and .British banks in three show t|he Australians, ’that 1 the anarch (to prosperity must bo a disciplined one; that they, have a right to reverence the standard of living, but that there gyp times when such divinities' have to’ be propitiated from afar.”

CANCEL WAR DEBTS. BETWEEN NATIONS OF BRITISH EMPIRE. ROTHERMEBE’S (SUGGESTION. ' • /V;-- ** . \ y BRITISH PRESS.: OUT, TO -HELP AUSTRALIA.

(U P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright) 'MELBOURNE, Job.. 28, Cablegrams.. have. been received by tiie Australian (Press Association, jfrom 'VUscounit. Rd-thermero lrepud-< tailing., “the, .mischievous 'statement of the president of the’ National Council, .of- Women,, at a; Mplbouinno Town- -Hall ’ meeting • recently. 7 that > tho whole British .’press, with (the : exception of-the Times, is engaged lip x {insidious; v propaganda agajnst Australian,-prestige.‘ . ,

V jord 'Rotheimore, hastens, to <assure . ills -'conffpres on TtM -press' ithbt • British newspapers, . tion, throughout the crisis have taken up a most helpful and sym« ' v> ;; ~ '

pathetic> attitude .towards ifie - Coinmonwealth. “I assure yoii as the dno in charge of the greatest QU* gjiine of -pubßcjity,, .thifopgjiojitiiltlua country 'I desire to stand, shoulder Itb shoulder with AiritrrLlia' in all her difficulties. ; , " ‘

“I am entirely in f avoir,” adds Viscount R-othermere, , “of ' a cancellation of all •wall' .debts between constituent . members. of tho British Empire: 1 believe that by (this a great step will have been taken towards ;• tho /extinction of all war debts between the Allies and other associates who fought together in the Great War.” „ LANG’S PROPOSAL, “FOOLISH AND DISHONEST.” ' A by Elec. Tei. ' copyright j , (Received Anarch 1, 5 p.m.) LONDON,. Feb, 28. The Times, in a leader, refers to Uno folly and dishonesty of Air. Lang’s proposals, but says that happily, the credit of New South Wiales .and all other . governments of "Australia is protected by the joint credit of the whole Commonwealth .

A POLITICAL GESTURE.

H.R A. by Elec. Tel Copyright! (•Received Afarch 1, 5 p.m.) . . LONDON, Feb. 28

“Well-informed circles in the city regard -'tho Oormn onweaitth currency proposal as a political gesture,” says the Fina.hcial Times. “They are con viced that the policy would not bo countenanced either by the banks or by the Senate.”

The newspaper , adds : “Aut-hor-itife* in close connection with trading channels to Australia continue (o report improving business in wool, wheat and dairy produce, the prices of which show a distinct tendency to rise.”

The editorial ii!s jrathor )in(olined to regard Air. Theodore’s proposals as tiho last throw in a political gamble. The step cannot bo compared with the facilities given some central banks to increase their note issue temporarily beyond the sums justified by tho gold reserves.

Little encouragement is given from official quarters to • Lord Rot-h----ermere’s advocacy of the cancellation of Australia’s .war debts. Indeed, there is considerable disposition to regard it as a disservice to Australia, whose misfortune is being mado the occasion for newspaper exploitation. Downing Street circles emphasise that even the Commonwealth never suggested the cancellation and any attempt in that direction would involve the similar troaitjment for other and would, sperhaps, re-open the whole fabric of the reparation agreements.

BASIC WAGE IN N.S.W. ENDOWMENT FOR EACH CHILD fU.r.A. by Elec; Tel. Copyright) SYDNEY, Feb. 28. The State Labor : caucus approved tho Cabinet proposal that the basic wage be fixod on' a standard for a husband and wife, supplemented by an endowment for each child. EXORBITANT WAGES COLLIERY OWNER WANTS AWARD SUSPENDED fU.r.A. by Elec- Tel Copyright) SYDNEY, Feb. 28. William Preece, a colliery owner of Lithgow, asking for a- suspension of labor conditions, informed tho court that ho had mortgaged* his home to provide the miners’ fortnightly pays of £45 up to £BO. He declared that the Western Miners' Federation' was trying to make the proprietors operate tho pits at a loss, demanding exorbitant rates and conditions. Newcastle trade unionists on Wednesday will discuss the declaration of a general strike throughout Australia.