AUSTRALIA'S DECISION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21067, 29 December 1931, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S DECISION.

CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT.

" BEST CHRISTMAS BOX." j i LABOUR'S CRUSHING DEFEAT. fFKOJt OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY. Dec. 24. A vast majority of the people of Australia regard the new Government as tho liest Christmas box they have received for many a long day. It- is felt that at. last a new era has been entered upon—a definite return not only to stability, but to sanity. Of course, Mr. Scullin was never regarded as extreme, and there are many who will go so far as to say that lie should actually be in the Lyons camp. However, he has seen fit to allow himself to be influenced by those who would nationalise banking and embark on wild inflation schemes that could have brought nothing but disaster to the Commonwealth. It is quite clear that Mr. Theodore was too strong for Mr. Scullin and that he forced his chief into byways that he had no desire to tread. Mr. Scullin has paid the penalty, and so has Mr. Theodore, but in the case of Mr. Theodore it, was not his policy that defeated him, but the Lang "machines" still all-powerful in the industrial centres

within the metropolitan areas. The election must go down in history as the most remarkable Australia has seen since the establishment of federation. The Labour Government had more than nine months in office to run, when it was forced to the country by the votes of those men who were pledged to support it. Undoubtedly urged on by the Premier of New South Wales, it was more Qut of personal spile than anything else that the five Beasley men in the House of Representatives—Lang planners and breakaways from the Federal Labour Party —forced the election, and on the night of the poll, as Labour man after Labour man was defeated, they cheered. What satisfaction has Mr. Lang and his followers achieved ? They say that they are satisfied. Satisfied with what? Satisfied with the ignominious defeat of Labour, and the installation of a party pledged to sanity ? No, hardly that, but satisfied above all things with the political eclipse of Mr. Theodore. Eclipse of Mr. Theodore, Mr. Theodore's crushing defeat was not due to the banking and inflation policy he had advocated. He stood in an electorate that, in ordinary circumstanc-is, would have said "Yes" to anything he proposed —the strongest Labour constituency in the State of New South Wales. Incidentally, it also contains more Lang supporters than any other, and on it Mr. Lang concentrated most of his efforts. Mr. Theodore was doomed from the start, because the Trades Hall said so, and it is remarkable that a man of his qualities —for he certainly has many —should have been defeated by a timber worker who has been on the list of unemployed for nearly 18 months. Mr. J. S. Rosevear, who displaces Mr. Theodore in Dalley, sought selection on the occasion of the last election, but was handsomely defeated by Mr. Theodore. He became one of Mr. Theodore's staunehest supporters. A great deal of tvater has flowed beneath the bridge since then and during the whirlwind campaign thathas just concluded he attacked his former friend with a bitterness that displayed no limits. Sir Robert Gibson's Influence.

Perhaps the greatest election figure was that of a man who took no actual part in the campaign—Sir Robert Gibson, chairman of the Commonwealth Bank. "Not- one penny for inflation," were the watchwords with which he met the demands of Mr. Theodore. To that he resolutely adhered, in spite of all the pressure that could be brought upon him. In a sense, the election may be regarded as a triumph for Sir Otto Niemeyer,. for Sir Robert Gibson was out and out a supporter of Niemeyer principles.

It has been Sir Robert Gibson who has all along foiled both Mr. Theodora and Mr. Lang. It was Sir Robert who forced the adoption of the Px-emiers' Plan, and forced Mr. Lang to abide to that plan. With his grim Scotch stubbornness he has won through, and Australia will be the better for it. He has suffered much abuse at the hands of Mr. Lang, and Mr. Lang now will be more under his thumb than ever, for Sir Robert will have a sympathei in Government in Canberra.

It is going to be very hard for Mr. Lang from now on, and already scores of people are asking how long he will be able to carry on. His finances are in a bad way, and although he has not yet completed one-half of the current financial year, he is already £10,000.000 to the bad. He has not been adhering strictly to the Premiers' Plan, which provided that all the Governments should live within their means, and it is 'clear now that- his hands will be forced. It cannot be long before he goes cap in hand to the Loan Council once again for further accommodation, and in view of the political landslide against him he is likely to receive but,scant sympathy. i State Election Predicted. • | 1 - | it is suggested that before two months are passed Mr. Lang will find difficulty in meeting the salaries of the civil servants, just as he did when the Loan Council last came to his assistance. This time he may not be so fortunate, and if he is unable to pay salaries there will be nothing for him to do but resign. Mr. Lang has been in office only a year—his term has two years to run—but those closely in touch with the trend of events predict an election in the State before three months have passed. Of course, the wish may be father to the thought. It is expected thatsnif Mr. Lang suffers a further rebuff in the Legislative Council he will ask the Governor to approve of further appointments to the Upper House. In some quarters it is maintained that the result of Saturday's election would be sufficient to justify a refusal to grant the request. Compared with the. last State elections Mr. Lang has lost ground everywhere, and even in the big industrial centres close to the city the combined votes polled by Federal .and State Labour candidates are down on the average 3000. A little more than a year ago Mr. Lang won several country seats, but in the Federal election these were all distinctly non-Labour. The swing of votes in New South Wales has been the most gratifying result of the Federal poll as far as the anti-Socialist forces are concerned, and must come as a big blow to the dictatorial Sydney Trades Hall. In fact, Queensland was, the only State that did no reveal an anti-Labour swing.