The Times MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 1939. Lessons From New South Wales

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 184, 7 August 1939, Page 6

The Times MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 1939. Lessons From New South Wales

The downfall of the Premier of New South Wales has been followed by the choice of a successor who has not tak.cn a very prominent place in the political limelight in the State in which Sydney occupies so overwhelmingly dominant a part. And in view of the prophecies that a dissolution is inevitable, it would appear to be something of a tragedy that the new leader of the badly-split Government forces should be a man who has so slender a hold on public favour. This is all the more regrettable because any turn in political events that brings the notorious Mr. J. T. Lang even within sight of office in New South Wales would be a disaster at the present moment.

The disintegration of the United Australia Party is attributable to the defeated Premier’s dictatorial attitude and to his attempted economies in public works and relief expenditure in view of the new demands for defence. But for some time there has been discontent in the party and rivalry in Cabinet. It came to a head owing to the opposition of the Minister of Public Works, Mr. E. S. Spooner, to the demand for a stricter supervision of his departmental expenditure. Mr. Spooner gave way, but certain malcontents within the party made his position difficult by repeating an allegation that he had told one of his colleagues that the 1938 Budget figures had been 4 ‘faked.”

Mr. Spooner denied any recollection of this, and voted with the Government on two Labour motions for an inquiry into the allegations. During the discussion, however, Mr. Stevens refused to accept Mr. Spooner’s denial, and this led to the Minister’s resignation. The breach was widened by Mr. Spooner’s motion recommending a new financial policy and the creation of a special trust account for the proceeds of wages and special income taxes, to be used exclusively for the relief of unemployment. The motion was accepted by Mr. Stevens as one of censure, but that gentleman could not have anticipated that it would be carried against him and he was obviously dumbfounded when an adverse vote was recorded. Then came his resignation, but that has not healed the breach in the party ranks, for the Spooner supporters have refused to accept Mr. -Mair, the new Premier, and it is considered in well-informed circles that this may lead to a dissolution. One of Mr. Spooner’s chief grievances is that the United Australia Party is dominated by the Country Party, which makes efficient administration impossible. This may or may not 1)0 so, but it has been apparent for some time that both in State and Federal politics there has been a weakening of ties which hold the anti-Labour coalition together. It would be as well for those who arc advocating the formation of a separate Country Party in New Zealand to study the trend of events across the Tasman. Anything that would weaken the forces arrayed against the insidious advance of Socialism in New Zealand should be avoided at all costs.