REBUFF FOR MR. LANG.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20841, 7 April 1931, Page 9

REBUFF FOR MR. LANG.

GOVERNOR AND PREMIER. NEW SOUTH WALES COUNCIL. [.FROM oun OWN* CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY, April 1. No one, probably not even Mr. Lang himself, expected that the State Governor. Sir Philip Camo, would bow the knee to tho Government and swamp the Legislative Council—the one bulwark left to New South Wales, since tho Lang regime can do, and does do, just what it likes in the Legislative Assembly. With tho Lang Government on the political rampage, tho post of Governor of tho Mother State is no sinecure. It was during Mr. Lang's previous term of office that tho then Governor, Sir Dudley de Chair, found, as Sir Philip Gamo has discovered, that there is more in the gubernatorial post than the mere making of harmless speeches and tho laying of foun-dation-stones.

Sir Dudley de Chair, when asked to make additional appointments to the Upper House, acceded to tho request.

This, to use an Americanism, was "whoopee" for Mr. Lang, until his plans miscarried owing to the defection of some of his nominees, who found the ameni* ties of Parliamentary life so much to their liking that they did not have the heart to bo parties to the abolition of the Legislative Council. Sir Dudley was again approached, but this time he was not caught constitutionally bending.

Governor on Firm Ground. Until tho occasion of his clash with Mr. Lang, Sir Philip Game had been chiefly noted for a pleasant personality and for speeches which, while they were perfectly innocuous, revealed a distinct vein of humour. His speeches irradiated cheerfulness at a glodfriy period when the symphony of life is as sounding brass and Manging cymbal without an occasional smile. Now the community, or at least thoso sections which do not swear true and undying allegiance to the Lang faction, are applauding Sir Philip for his courage, .as well as his cheerfulness. Sir Philip Game was asked to agree to the process of swamping when the fate of the Legislative Council has yet to be determined by the Privy Council. Its position is sub judice. For that one reason alone it would have been distinctly improper on the part of the Governor to alter the composition of the Upper House by the addition ox more members. Again, the submission by that chamber of the revolutionary Arbitration Bill to a select committee can hardly be deemed defiance of the Government's will. The bill involves changes of a radical nature. It has evoked a storm of protest in the community. If the bill never reaches the Statute Book in its present form, it will be quite a good thing alike for employees and employers. So far, however, the Legislative Council has neither rejected nor vitally amended the measure; it has merely done something quite within its competence. It has decided that the bill shall have more adequate consideration and examination than that permitted to it in the Lower House. The Legislative Council, it is felt, would have been recreant to its trust and would have incurred the righteous indigation of the community generally if it had allowed the measure to go through without 'tho closest scrutiny.

Mr. Lang's Alternative. Should the Home authorities decline any invitation to recall the Governor because of his action, Mr. Lang's only alternative would be to resign and appeal to the country. And if such an appeal were unfavourable to him, ho would have to take it, of course, that the electors endorsed llis Excellency's action in refusing the request for the swamping of the Upper House. But about the last thing the Lang Government is anxious to do just now is to go before its masters, because its defeat would be as ceitain as that night follows day. The great majority of tlio electors would appreciate the opportunity just now of letting the Government know, through the ballot box, just what they think about it.