SECESSION POSSIBILITY

Hawera Star, Volume L, 20 February 1931, Page 5

SECESSION POSSIBILITY

CHAOTIC NEW SOUTH WALES SUGGESTION OF REVOLUTION MR. LANG’S REPUDIATION PLANS. k liiilru t'tteA Association —By Klee trie leiegmpli Uispyrigtii.) SYDNEY, Feb. 19. In the New South Wales Legislative Assembly to-day a Nationalist member Mr. Jarvie, directed Mr. Lang’s attention to an editorial in the “Sydney Morning Herald” which stated: '‘lt Mr. Lang 'persists in ins mad course of repudiation secession will be a possibility and cavil war may result.” Mr. Jarvie asked whether the Premier would take steps to purge the good name of New South Wales. Mr. Kelly, a Labourite, asked whether the Premier would consider the desirability of suppressing newspapers whicih maligned the Government and members ot the House. Mr. Lang said leading articles in a journal owned by the millionaire Fairrax family did not disturb him in the slightest. He added; “This State is in a parlous condition because of Nationalist rule. The railways do not pay, partly because of concessions to newspapers carried on tho railways. I intend to look into that aspect, and if the newspapers continue to disparage and defame the Government and the

country we shall in due course take

steps to de.al with them.” / Replying to another question by a ''V labourite, Mr. Stuart Robertson, who said another part of the “Herald” editorial referred to a possible financial revolution and to the fact that farmers in the North were organising with a possible call to arms. Mr. Lang said should the “Herald” or any other newspaper succeed in causing a rebellion members could accept his assurance that “we are in a position to manage and suppress it.” “Such propaganda is bound,” he said, “to recoil on the heads of its authors,” Opposition laughter greeted this statement. Mr. Lang said lie was quite aware that steps were being taken by those opposed to Labour to resort to force. An ex-member of the House was one of the organisers. He was also informed that organisations had already been formed in Victoria and South Australia and that these people were armed. Consequently if an attempt were made to do this in New South, Wales the Government would not stand idly by, but would certainly deal with them. Sir Thomas Henley : Bring out your Communist! Mr. Lang: I will show them laws are just as sacred when Labour is_ in power as when anti-Labour is in office. Mr. T. R. Bavin, referring to yesterday’s gagging of the Opposition in the Assembly, says further efforts on the floor of the House will not serve any good purpose in protecting the honour of the State or averting the disaster which threatens. He intends, therefore, to devote his time and energies towards the co-operation of other parties and organisations in the State in an effort to arouse such a body of public opinion as will compel an early appeal to the people. No other course offered a hope of relief. , . , A large number of unemployed who met at the Trades Hall to-day re-form-ed the workers’ defence corps, otherwise the Red Army. Speakers emphai. rdsed the need for readiness owing to the receipt of information that the capitalist class was arming to defend ’ it s wealthv 'possessions.