The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1931. A GLOOMY OUTLOOK.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1931. A GLOOMY OUTLOOK.

Such an outlook is what a northern writer considers the Australian people have to face, more especially in New South Wales. There is nothing seriously wrong with Australia as a country, for its wonderful natural resources exploited on sound political and economic, lines will soon restore financial equilibrium, if the politicians will give the country n clmiieo. .Bui neither at Canberra nor at Sydney In Aus. tralia getting a fair clmnee for reconstruction and recovery to-day. The condition of things in New South Wales, produced by Air Lang’s return to power, seems in a plirape sanctified by the mid-Yictorinn novelists and journalists, to “beggar description.” Both the Northern Distrii t and the Rivei'ina, the two most productive areas in the State, are demanding the right to secede, so as to secure political independence and to evade the disgrace of repudiation. But Mr Lang and his friends are threatening to treat either the claim for independence <>r the decision to reject his policy as a challenge to civil war, and they are talking with cbauacteristio ,recklessness of armed conflict and bloodshed as the inevitable outcome of the crisis. Nor are these dangers confined to New South Wales. Last month a Sydney newspaper declared that “Mr Lang has sown the seeds of the disruption of the Commonwealth, for if he gets his way at Sydney awl repudiates’ the financial and political obligations of New South Wales to Australia the other States will rebel.” Yet in one respect Mr Lang may claim a small measure of sympathy even from his most resolute opponents. For he has clearly not yet induced himself to go so far or so fast as the “left wingers” of his motley following would desire. The extremists lately organised a deputation to Canberra demanding that Mr Swllin should de-dare “a state of national emergency” which Would justify the use of force to put down all organised opposition to Labour’s will. .Moreover, the irrepressible Jock Garden, lias formulated a series of proposals on behalf of the trade unions which are intended to force Mr Lang’s hand and prevent him from “procrastinating” further. Finally, the Bill to amend the Arbitration system proposes to place in absolute control of the wages system for a term of voirs a judge who has already committed himself irrevocably to Labour’s standpoint. Even supposing that Air Lang should preserve siilliei nt sanity to attempt resistance to his, flowing tide of “■pnffatnrianism,” lie would find himself in a position no safer or more dignified that Air .Seullin’s seat at Cmnbenfa to-day. As to that most unfortunate man, lie is experiencing the trials and tribulations that must beset everybody who is not courageous and resolute enough to follow the line he has marked out for himself without attempting to propitiate or to compromise. If Air Scullin had stuck tenaciously to the policy that lie outlined in London be!ore his return, and had not truckled to Mr Theodore, ho would liavo retained the confidence’ of the Australian, people, and could have commanded enough support to keep him in power in defiance to the extremists. As matters are now, Air Seullin’s chances of survival are remote in the extreme. Australia has now reached a point midway between the Scvlla ol revolutionary violence and the Charyhdis of reaction —and who can foretell the end? In the gloomy outlook at nresent there is little prospect of an early uplift of the clouds of despair which are gathering, for each day seems to suggest fresh complications in the political turmoil which dominates the scene. Tt remains for something heroic to transpire to save the situation. Probably that will transpire when the banks will close down on the public expenditure, and there is not money available lor the States to I unction. But it is a catastrophic aleruntive.