LANG LABOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 23 May 1933, Page 5

LANG LABOUR

CRISIS IN NiS.W.

SUPPORT GIVEN TO MR WILLIS.

(Australian Fress Association )

(Received May 113 at 9.20 a.m.)

feuLiNLA, Alay T2

Nominations for the Bulii byeelection owing to Mr Lysagiits death are fir Artnur Butter ell (United'Australia Party), Mr Paul Martin '(Communist;, Air John Sweeney. (Lang Labour;, Mr Albert Willis (Miner’s Labour;. the ‘‘Herald” says that there was a dramatic development in the crisis in. th© State Labour Party, when many unions withdrew their support from Mr Lang, and decided to assist Mr Willis in his candidature for Bulli. Wholesale defections of trades hall unions from Mr Lang came as surprise to his supnorteis, who are now engaged in a desperate struggle to retain control of the Labour movement for Mr Lang and his executive. The “Laobour Daily” sayb that a feature of the nominations was the determination of Mr .Willis to continue his defiance of -the Australian Labour Party by j nominating as an Independent Labour candidate against the selected endorsed Labour cundir date. . ’ .... Jel

Mr Willis has resigned from the Legislative Council. ‘ v

Since his retirement from the AgentGeneralship last July, Mr Willis- has been working amicably in double' harness with Mr Lang, the former Premier, who is leader of the State Labour Party. Mr Willis has had long experience in the administration of the Labour Parity as an official of a union, as a member of both Houses of Parliament and as a member of the Cabinet. He exercises widespread influence in the State, arid the cablegram means .that, should he challenge Mr Lang for the the. party,• he would probably be given sufficient support to oust Mr Lang. ; ... Bulli, a Labour stronghold,, was rendered vacant by the death of Mr A. A. Lysaglit, a former, member .of Mr Lang’s. Cabinet. . •/