A FIERCE CONTEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19742, 15 September 1927, Page 14

A FIERCE CONTEST.

MR. LANG'S OPPONENTS.

BATTLE STRONGLY RAGING.

SPECIAL APPEAL TO WOMEN.

[FROM Ol'R OWU CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY, Sept. 6. With the gradual approach of the day— October B—when the people of New South Wales must choose those who are to govern them for the next three years, the election battle is raging on all fronts. A special appeal is being made to the women to throw their weight into the struggle. This appeal is hardly necessary in the case of the women associated with the Labour movement, but as far as the apathy of the anti-Labour supporters is concerned, the women are probably the worst offenders. Charity matinees and other social functions are more fashionable than politics. That the campaign has got the Premier, Mr. Lang, seriously thinking is beyond question. His make-shift Cabinet is deplorably weak, too weak, in fact, to give him any real assistance. The fact that he is now to be opposed for his own ordinarily safe seat by one of his former supporters, Mr. Minahan, will keep him busy in his own electorate. There is the further fact, which must be very disquieting to him and his followers, that the Parliamentarians, including several former Ministerial colleagues, who have broken with him, and who, despite, the melodramatic gesture of the official Labour Party in expelling them, have decided to oppose the endorsed Labour candidates, constitute a very formidable group. One of the biggest thorns in the side of the Lang wing is the youthful Dr. Evatt, than whom there was no more logical or effective debater in the Labour Party m the last Parliament.' Others whom the Lang group cannot hold cheaply include such men as the formtr Minister of Education, Mr. Mutch, and the ax-Min-ister of Health, Mr. Cann. Those three men alone can do Mr. Lang more harm on the platform than a ton of Nationals! propaganda. Mr. Lang, however,, never shirks a fight, especially when his hack is to the wall, as at present. Not a few who felt at the outset that the Nationalists were weak in leadership have changed their tune. Mr. Eavin, who is carrying their banner, has plunged into the fight with an energy and ability which even the critics in bis own party have to admire. He has lashed the Labour extremists, even in the strongholds of the enemy, as with the whips and scourges of the furies. As far as the front line is concerned, he is more fortunate in effective and telling sup"port than Mr. Lang. The new Nationalist "blood" includes some promising material. The railway strike in Queensland is also good propaganda for Mr. Bavin and his forces.

Of the original Parliamentary Labour Party of 47 members. in the Legislative Assembly in the last Parliament, Mr. Lang now has only about 33 direct followers. At the time of the recent "unity" conference he could claim only aboul 23 supporters, but others have since decided to obey the party machine. The revolt in the Labour movement, the happeuings in Queensland, and the' ridiculous Labour disturbances over the Sacco-Vanzetti exe cutions are among the many factors which are giving the Nationalists a chance which they will probably never get again. If they take over the reins of oflice, they can largely thank the Labour Party.