EMPTY TREASURY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 6 August 1931, Page 7

EMPTY TREASURY

N.S. WALES CRISIS SALARIES TO BE WITHHELD PREMIER’S INSTRUCTIONS TO HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS (Unitod Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) SYDNEY. sth August. With an empty treasury Mr Lang found it necessary to-day to instruct the heads of Government departments to withhold salary payments to-morrow from officers of the public service, but wages men on industrial services arc to be paid as usual. POLICE TO BE PAID SYDNEY, sth August. Although public service salaries are not being paid to-morrow the police will be paid. Ministers and Parliamentarians are not affected by the empty treasury, as they received their monthly cheques on Ist August. AMENDMENTS) SALARIES BILL MR LANG ATTACKS COUNCIL SYDNEY, sth August. In the Assembly Air Lang moved disagreeing with the Legislative Council’s amendment to the Public Service Salaries’ Reduction Bill. The motion was carried on a party division bv 47 to 34.

Mr Lang said it was quite evident the Legislative Council was assuming unto itself the right to govern this country. Tlie Government had purposely drafted its taxation Bills so that the burdens would fall on the shoulders of those best ablo to bear thorn. Indeed, the Government was definitely pledged not to attack tho wages of ihe lower paid people in tho community; but tho Legislative Council entirely defeated this object, first by throwing out the Emergency Taxation Bill and now by so mutilating the Public Service Salaries Bill that if the Government accepted the amendment it would be tantamount to admitting that tho standard of living ill New South Wales was too high. . . Mr Bavin, Leader of tho Opposition, said the Premier’s criticism of tho Upper HouSo was unworthy. ”1 hold in my hand a circular issued to-day by tho treasury ordering the withholding of public servants’ salaries for tho tune being. This emphasises the seriousness of tho Government’s position, which is entirely duo to tho senseless actions of the Premier. He is pursuing a' bombastic course arising from egotism ana stubbornness, which had brought tho country to its present condition of degradation. My suggestion is that if he cannot govern lie had bettor make way for a Government that can.” COUNCIL REFUSES TO GIVE WAY SYDNEY, sth August Tho Legislative Council to-night by 28 votes to 16 decided to insist upon its amendment to tho Public Servian Salaries Reduction Bill, and is now formulating reasons. FURTHER TROUBLE THE BREAD CONTRACT SYDNEY, sth August The Lang Government is now in hot water for 'giving a huge bread contract to Shadlors’ Ltd. Shadlers were relying on tlie master bakers supplying bread, but the latter are boycotting tho scheme, assorting that the price is unpayable. Unemployed families aro thus fiiidipg it difficult ‘to obtain bread with dole coupons. The bread trade is so dislocated by the dispute that tho master bakers have given notice of dismissal to 500 caitcis and scores of operatives. . . This matter has been mentioned in Parliament. Mr Lang declared that the people shall have bread, and threatens to take action against the millers for withholding supplies of Hour. LANG’S PREDICAMENT FACING MOST ACUTE CRISIS (Received 6tli August, 10.0 a.m.) SYDNEY. This Day. The State Government is faced with the most acute crisis since it assumed office. There will be no public service salaries to-day. The Upper House declined to depart from its attitude towards tho Salaries Reduction Bill, the Council insisting on its amendmentsi on the ground that under the Constitution it is'entitled to amend any legislation. The Loan Council meeting at Melbourne refused to advance Mr,Lang any money until bo fully complied with Jic Melbourne agreement. Tho treasurers expressed tho view that Mr Lang must meet his public service payments ns best lie, call. . There was not sufficient money in baud yesterday to pay tho salaries and wages of tlie. staff of the Royal I unco Alfred Hospital. The chairman of the board of directors slated that tlie quota from the Government was £IOOO short in July. The hospital is steadily falling into arrears, the _ amount owing to tradesmen etc., being about £ISOOO.