FEDERAL POLITICS

Grey River Argus, 1 December 1944, Page 7

FEDERAL POLITICS

BANKING CHANGES.

CANBERRA, Nov 30

The proposed changes in the present banking system would not be “detrimental to Australian publicborrowers or depositors,” said the acting-Prime Minister (Mr. Forde). There was absolutely no justification for the fears being engendered, by propaganda being distributed through •the community by banks and other people for party political purposes. He added that he could not yet indicate the precise nature of the Government’s proposed legislation. , The Sydney “Daily Telegraphs political correspondent says that senior Ministers expect the proposed banking legislation will be considered by the Federal Cabinet early m the New Year. The legislation is reported to be likely to be based on four main points: (1) The operation of the Commonwealth Bank. to be removed from and made entirely independent of private banking inteiests- (2) the abolition of the Commonwealth Bank Board and the appointment of a Governor to be responsible to the Commonwealth Government; (3) the Commonwealth Bank to enter into vigorous competition with the private banks m all avenues of banking business; and (4) a statutory provision that banking transactions of all public bodies be reserved for the Commonwealth Bank. It is expected, too, that legislation will provide for the perpetuaation of the controls over private banks which the Government has exercised for the past three years, as a wartime measure. HIGH COURT’S “SPRINT.” ~ SYDNEY, Nov. 30 The Attorney-General (Dr. Evatt) in the Federal House referred .to the High Court .proceedings aunng the Sydney newspaper. censorship dispute, last April. He said he had confidence in the impartiality of the members of the High Court Bench, but the opinion he had formed w aa that the actual hearing of the case was unsatisfactory. He drew the conclusion from the transcript that the majority of the Judges had reached a strong opinion earlj' in the case that the claim of the Censor was unsound. Unfortunately, they had made their opinion very plain before the Commonwealth had its case presented with the care it deserved. It was no reflection on tne impartiality or integrity of the majority of the members of the Court that they had decided against the Commonwealth requests for a postponement. At the same time it was only right to say that the SolicitorGeneral and all the legal advisers ot the Commonwealth felt that the case should not have been decided so shortly and so summarily. “We do not complain,” added Dr. Evatt, “that we did not get impartial administration of justice. But we are entitled to something more than that —to have the business of the Court so conducted that the litigants will be satisfied not only that justice is done but that it is seen to be done. In this case it was vital that speed, or at any rate the appearance of si)eed should be avoided.” Dr. Evatt paid a tribute to. the presiding Judge, the Chief Justice, who, he said, had had a very difficult task.