POLITICAL STRUGGLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19231, 21 January 1926, Page 9

POLITICAL STRUGGLE.

NEW SOUTH WALES BILLS. MOVE FOR COUNCIL ABOLITION. MEASURE READ FIRST TIME. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 12.55 a.m.) SYDNEY. Jan. 20. Tho Legislative Assembly, by 45 votes to 41, discharged the Electoral Bill from the Order Paper. In reply to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. T. R. Bavin, the Premier, Mr. J. T. Lang, said he had no intention of flouting the people. The Council would be abolished now or later without any referendum.

When the Legislative Council met the galleries were crowded and the air was electrical. 1

Mr. A. C. Willis, vice-president of the •Executive Council, moved for leave to introduce the Abolition of the Council Bill.

Mr. Alam, one of the new Labour appointees, said Labour would be blundering by abolishing the Chamber.

When the vote was taken Labour won the first round in the fight, the motion for the introduction of the bill being carried by 45 votes to 43. Paired Labour members refrained from voting.

The bill was read a first time and the House then formally adjourned.

The general opinion is that the bill will eventually be carried by one vote.

OBDURACY OF ME. LANG.

FIGHTING THE UPPER HOUSE.

A. and N.Z

SYDNEY. Jan. 20

The latest defeat of the State Government in the Legislative Council was referred to by 'the Premier, Mr. J. T. Lang, in an interview. He' said: "I will win in the end. Ido not intend to take any notice of tile defeat at this juncture. I have determined that the, Council shall go, and go it shall if it takes a fight of 20 rounds. "The Cabinet has been absolutely unanimous in its decisions on the matter. It is prepared to immediately introduce a bill to bring about the initiative, referendum and recall."

It is anticipated that, the Council Abolition Bill will be defeated'this week. Mr. Lang will then close the session and call another special session. In the event of a further defeat, yet another special session will be called. Should Mr. Lang suffer defeat a third time he will then take advantage of the Constitution and declare vacant the seats of those members of the Council who may have been absent from the two special sessions. In the meantime the Australian Labour Conference will have been asked to adopt a ..motion placing the selection of members of the Council solely in the hands of the Premier. Armed with this power Mr. Lang would select the number of additional members and go to the Governor for their appointment. He expressed confidence that the Governor, 1 having been told by the Home authorities that he must obey his responsible Ministers, would have to make the appointments. Then Mr. Lang would call another special session, and, with his increased and fully-pledged supporters, he would carry the abolition proposals.