MR. LANG'S BOMBSHELL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21043, 30 November 1931, Page 6

MR. LANG'S BOMBSHELL.

SWAMPING UPPER HOUSE. FEARS OF SOCIALISM. REMARKABLE "REWARD" LIST. Ojni OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY, Nov. 26. The fears aroused by Mr. Lang's surprise move in swamping the Legislative Council of New South Wales by appointing 23 trade union secretaries and organisers and two women who are staunch Labour supporters, have been tempered by an assurance that there will be no attempt to reintroduce the most dreaded, perhaps, of all legislation—that which provided for a tax of 5s in the pound on wages. It is admitted, however, that the 'danger of a deluge of socialistic legislation remains. For that reason the action of Mr. Lang is being condemned from one end of -the country to the other. The bitterness of the country districts is breaking out afresh, and the anti-Social-ist parties in the towns are taking a new lease of life. Attitude of the Governor. It is considered'by many that the Governor, Sir Philip Game, must not be blamed for the turn of events. He was bound to accept the advice of his Ministers, up to a point, and that he has done. He resisted the claim made by Mr. Lang for 60 appointments, and when he did so he wrote to the Premier in the following terms:— "If you still press me I must, of course, accept your advice and give my consent to make the necessary appointments as soon as we are agreed as to the number. But I do want to make my .views quite clear. They are that it is unreasonable to ask my assent to the new appointments until the need is clear, and that I consider it should be sufficient if you had my promise, which you would have every right to use, to make the appointments desired if the need should arise." There can be no doubt that the legislative programme, whether it be good or bad for the State, has been seriously interfered with by the Legislative Council. The merits of that programme do not enter the controversy concerning the rights of the Governor, and it is contended that he had no alternative but to agree to appointments which should assure t,o the Government a working majority in the Legislative Assembly. The Nationalists had already set an example in this direction. Type of Men Appointed. The storm centres round the type of men Mr. Lang has seen fit to elevate. Is it any wpnder that there is talk of domination by trade unions, even by "Reds." Some of the appointees have taken a leading part in the development of Communism in the State. They are extremists in the true sense of the term, and it is naturally feared that their views will be reflected in their legislative acts. Even at the Trades Hall the appointments do not find favour. Among the unionists the list is one of the most unpopular '' reward " lists ever issued, but the discipline of the machine is too severe to permit of open revolt. The most bewildering of the appointments to Trades Hall officials is that of Mr. A. W. McNamara, secretary of the United Labourers' Union. He is known as a reckless militant whose union has been born out of discontent among construction workers. Under the direction of the *' Inner Group," headed by Mr. Lang, it has been his special duty to attempt to cause disruption in the ranks of the powerful Australian Workers' Union, which is so bitterly opposed to Mr. Lang and his plan and his followers. He is not well known at the Trades Hall, and a score of trusted servants of Labour resent the fact that they have been passed over for a novice. Perhaps if the disappointed ones became more militant they would share in the spoils to the victors. The appointment of Mr. Donald Grant, " Domain orator," and Labour representative on the City Council, has made many moderate Labour men furious/ for he is a man who has the unfortunate habit of making wild speeches which embarrass the Labour movement. The Balance of Power. If matters turn out as anticipated the Federal Australian Labour Party faction in the Legislative Council will hold the balance of power, and if this is so there is some chance of New South Wales being spared some of the extreme Socialism that would otherwise be forced upon the unhappy State. When Mr. Lang was previously in power he secured several appointments of Labour men to the Upper House, but 14 of these are no longer Lang Plan men, though they are still true to the cause. The leader of this little band says: "We will support any sane Labour legislation, but we will not tolerate legislation savouring of Sovietism." The history-of the past session does not indicate any united opposition by the Federal Australian Labour Party faction to the Lang Government. It is uncertain how the faction regards the Arbitration Amendment Bill, which is of such vital importance, but it is notable that the proposal to refer the bill to a select committee was opposed by all the Labour men. Providing there is always a full attendance of the Opposition—which is extremely unlikely —Mr. Lang will not have things all his own way, but will have to bow to the whims of his opponents in the Labour camp. It is significant that when the Governor attended the swearing-in of the new members of tht: Legislative Council he went to special pains to remind them of the sanctity of the oath.