AIMING AT LEADERSHIP

Hawera Star, Volume L, 8 April 1931, Page 5

AIMING AT LEADERSHIP

AMBITION OF PREMIER LANG FEDERAL, LABOUR PARTY HEAD CRUSADE THROUGHOUT STATES (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph Copyright. J Received 11.30 a.m. to-day. SYDNEY, April. 8. The “Herald” says that the Lang Party, having obtained the sanction ot the majority of the New South Wales Labour Leagues for its repudiation policy, 'has decided to carry its campaign into other States, with the object of making it the policy of Australia. An army of organisers, led by Mr Jiang, is going to Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland to hold propaganda meetings to secure the support of State branches of the Australian Labour Party. It is regarded as certain, and is even stated positively in the best informed Labour circles, that Mr Lang, if successful, will enter into Federal politics, probably by securing selection for Reid, with the object of obtaining the leadership of the Australian Labour Party. Mr Lang’s future depends absolutely upon the measure of success he achieves in his Australian-wide camy paign. TALK OF “DISSOLUTION. I STATEMENT MODIFIED. Received noon to-day. MELBOURNE, April 8. The Prime Minister (Mr. J. H. Scullin) lias modified his statement in regard to the threatened dissolution of Parliament. Tie now says that the Government will persevere with the Fiduciary Note Issue Bill to provide money for wheat growers, also the unemployed. If the Senate this week the Bill it will be sent back after the prescribed three months have elapsed. If it is again rejected the Government will ask for a double dissolution. Mr. Scullin added that the dissolution of one House would not decide anything; thus, it would be three ’ months or longer before the elections would occur.

A message on Tuesday stated that the Prime Minister (Mr J. H. Scullin), in a speech at the Victorian Labour Conference, declared that the Ministry would appeal to the people if the Fiduciary Bill was rejected by the Senate. The announcement was received with applause. “New uprisings are occurring in all ports of Australia with the idea of stirring the imagination of the people, but Labour is in the happy position of not having to search for a name ond. to defeat it, all sorts of combinations, some not vet named, are necessarv,’ ’ added Mr Scullin. “It is remarkable that so many financial geniuses can be found since the country turned out the Bruce Government nml Labour assumed office. The country has become full of financial saviours.”

EXPULSION PREDICTED,

STORMY PETREL FACTION.

PERTH, April 7. | Mr. A. McCallum, a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, who has returned from the Federal Labour conference at Canberra, said the expulsion of the New South Wales Labour executive from the Australian Labour Party was inevitable. It should have been done years ago. Sydney had been, a festering sore on the movement for years. The coterie formulated its own policy, which in essence was fundamentally opposed to the Labour movement. He had been told that Mr. Lang’s repudiation plan had not been placed before the New South Wales Cabinet. The first the members of the Cabinet knew of it was when the plan was published in the Press. Mr. McCallum added that there was no fear whatever of any other States following Mx\ Lang.

NEW” ENGLAND MOVEMENT.

SEEKING BETTER GOVERNMENT

DRAFT OF CONSTITUTION

SYDNEY. April 7. One hundred and fifty delegates from the northern portion of New South Wales assembled at the Maitland Town Hall to-day . and adopted the draft constitution for the new Federal unit called New England. Speakers emphasised that the movement was due to misgovernment, chiefly in New South Wales, and the repudiation of national obligations. Dr. Earl Page, M.P., the outstand-

ing figure iu the new State movement, declared: “We have to find a better way of governing ourselves because the existing way has brought shame and dishonour.”

CAPABILITIES OF LANG

NOT BOGPIY-MAN DEPICTED

“Mr. Lang is not the bogey-man he is painted, but he is a very capable man—perhaps the most capable in Austrolian politics,” said the Hon. A. C. Willis, of New South Wales, who is a passenger for London by the Aorangi, which reached Auckland on Monday. Air. AVillis, who formerly was VicePresident of the Executive Council and leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, is to take over the duties of Agent-General for New South Wales in London, relieving Sir George Fuller. He is accompanied by Mrs. Willis.

Mr. Willis said Mr. Lang certainly was the subject of much adverse comment, but much of this was propaganda. He was the only man in politics in Australia who wins prepared to stand up and “take the knocks” when they came. He had a definite policy, which was more than could he said tor Mr. Scullin and olliera, and he was fearless in declaring it. He understood finance, and, on independent opinion, he was stated to he the best Treasurer New South Wales ever had.

“It is very probable that people outside New South Wales had a mistaken idea of the amount of support Air. Lang receives,” continued Mi - . Willis. “He is very well supported, and he is gaining a very large section of the people all the time. All over Australia his policy is finding recognition. “As far as the cry of repudiation is concerned, New South Wales is faced with two alternatives. Either she must fail to pay the amount of interest asked or must throw a large number of people out of work and bring them to the point of starvation. The position is quite simple and the remedy is a logical one. Chie of the first duties, at least of the Labour Party, is to feed the people. Everybody feels that the rates of interest are too high.

Australia recently reduced wages by means of legislation and it is only logic that interest rates should be reduced. The next five years will see a general reduction in the rates.” Air. AVillis said that Australia’s problems were world-wide ones. Every country laboured under heavy war debts and there had been over-produc-tion throughout the world, owing to the increased use of machinery. " It was not a question of this or that country having too little gold, as America had too much and suffered , just as other countries were suffering. There had been a breakdown in currency, which had failed to keep pace with the increase in production. There were definite signs of an easing of Australia’s burdens, Air. AVillis said. Politically the air was clearing and business conditions were improving. One great factor had been the rise in the price of wool, although wheat continued to sell at low prices. Once prices had a tendency to rise there would he a forward movement all round. It was the psychology of hopefulness and Australia would soon he “turning its face to the sun.”