THE DIEHARD COUNCIL

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3288, 6 March 1926, Page 3

THE DIEHARD COUNCIL

MB. LANG’S REVERSE. COMMENT BY “THE TIMES.” LONDON, Feb. 24. “The Times,” in a leading article under the caption, "The Diehard Council,” says: "Mr. Lang has suffered an unexpected reverse. He was not long' in office when he discovered that the Council .was an inconvenient obstacle to the passage of extreme measures which he had carefully omitted ‘from the programme submitted to the electors. “He has brought about the establishment of a- 44-hour week, the abolition of the death penalty, the forfeiture of loyal railwayman's seniority, and increases in the salaries of members of Parliament, thus proving the extent to which the extremist wing is swaying an admittedly weak Government “Considering his narrow majority it might have been expected that Mr. Lang would walk cautiously. Sir Dudley de Chair .after demurring for two months, yielded to Mr. Lang's importunity to nominate 25 councillors in the face of a storm of criticism. "Presumably, the new councillors had been schooled to commit political suicide, and their apparent decision to rebel at the last minute will come as a”blow to Mr. Lang, who threatened that if the packed Council refused to sign its own death certificate he would not only pack it further, but would withdraw rewards such as the title ‘honourable,’ and also free train-rid-ing. , Even Mr. Lang’s assault on the constitutional safeguard which he does not possess a mandate to destroy must eventually spend its force. The Council’s adverse vote is a plain hint of the people’s feeling.