The Hawera Star. MONDAY, MAY 30, 1932. THE NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTION.

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 30 May 1932, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

MONDAY, MAY 30, 1932. THE NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTION.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clock in Hawera, Manaia, Kaupokonui, Otakeho, Oeo. Pihama, Opunake, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Ngaere, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Te Kiri, Mahoe, Lowgarth, Manutahi, Kakaramea, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Whenuakura, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Meremere, Fraser Road, and Ararata.

No time has been lost in the completion of the formalities in connection with the general election in New South Wales. Less than a fortnight has elapsed since the Governor, in the exercise of his undoubted prerogative, dismissed the Lang Government, and already the nominations for the election of a new Parliament have closed. It will be far from surprising if the election contest is not by far the most bitter ever held in the history of the State. The Lang Government has an exceedingly discreditable record. A Labour member of the Legislative Council has fittingly described its policy as one of intimidation and victimisation, of repudiation, treachery, and misrepresentation, and of industrial depression and tyranny. Ample evidence could be produced in support of each count of this stinging indictment. By its repudiation of its promises in respect of the plan of financial reconstruction, and by its repudiation of its overseas debts 1 , it forfeited the confidence of the other Governments in Australia and the respect of people who, are old-fashioned enough to consider that men, even public men, should honour their word and fulfil their undertakings. And the succession of unsavoury political scandals in New South Wales that have occurred during Mr Lang’s nineteen months of office has excited the indignation and contempt of all who place a value upon clean administration. Some of these scandals are, it will be observed from recent cable messages, to be the subject of investigation by Royal Commissions. But it is pot to be supposed that Mr Lang has not. his hosts of supporters and, indeed, of admirers, particularly in the metropolitan areas in New South Wales. The nauseating sycophancy of many of his followers in Parliament may be largely attributed, perhaps, to a fear of the , tyranny which he has exercised. Moreover, by shouting very loudly expressions of admiration of him—by acclaiming him in fact as the greatest statesman ever seen in New South Wales — they may have calculated that they were qualifying for the bestowal of some of the material rewards at the public expense that were extensively distributed by him while he had the power. And to them, even more probably than to Mr Lang himself, the Governor’s act in dismissing the Government will have been a heavy blow. Mr Lang may be perfectly sure of his own scat in the next Parliament, but many of his followers, especially those of them who represent country constituencies which Mr Lang captured at the last elect,ion by promises that, as he must have known, could not possibly be fulfilled, have only a remote chance of being re-elected. And their indignation at the act which has deprived them of their parliamentary emoluments about eighteen months earlier than the normal date of the general election, is likely to be expressed in the most violent attacks upon the Governor as well as upon the opponents of Mr Lang. It lias been stated in the cable messages that if Mr Lang should be returned to power he would immediately demand the recall of Sir Philip Game. It is doubtful if such demand on his part would be necessary, as the outcome of tlic success of Langism at the polls might very well be the resignation by the Governor of his office. It is logical to assume that Sir Philip Game will regard the poll as an opportunity for the people to express tlieir endorsement of, or their disagreement with, his action in dismissing the Lang Government. Fortunately there appears to be every likelihood of the Governor being strongly upheld, but in the event of success of Langism, Sir Philip Game would, in .all probability, feel that the situation so created called for his resignation.