FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21020, 8 May 1930, Page 9

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

A CRISIS AVERTED. PREFERENCE To‘ RETURNED’ MEN. (United Press Association.) , (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) CANBERRA, May 7. (Received May 7, at 10 p.m.) . The serious political ■ consequences which threatened the Federal - Government have been ’averted for the time being by the Prime Minister recommending to'the caucus to-day the restoration of full preference tb.ire'turned; soldiers on public .wftp-ka,contracts. . The .caucus" approved . this, ah announcement .<jf: ihisj chara’ctbr iif the ' Abuse of Representatives later: AN UNWILLING RETREAT. GOVERNMENT’S HAND FORCED. CANBERRA, May 7. (Received May' 7, at 11.30 p.m.) Tu announcing the reversal of the Gov-'*’ ■ornment’s'decision-,with regard to prefer--’ pncc fpr.rpturned soldiers, the Prime Mln--later, said.: “’Gur desire had been to safeguard the conditions for returned soldiers. There was a danger that if returned men l were not unionists they could bo employed for less than arbitration award rate’s and thus.,be exploited.” - Mr Eatham,/the Leader of the Op- ’ position, said that the explanation’ ’ was a I bit thin. It was quite apparent that the Government had not made the willing retreat. Its , hand , had been .forced and, the, speeches last ..Friday, would, not tyi, readily forgotten! ' Lie hoped’ that/thiswould be a lesscm tb ’thc Governincut.' ’ - ■ ’-Mr Roland Greenj ! who lost ■a- leg’' it the.. war, bitterly attacked the Government., He said there was no such , thing as. preference for' unionists at the wgr. “ Labour let us, down then and afterwards,” he declared, “ and apparently still possesses its hatred Of soldiers.”