A NEW LEADER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21621, 16 April 1932, Page 18

A NEW LEADER

UNITED PARTY IN NEW SOUTH • .wales METEORIC-CAREER. . (From Oor Own Correspondent.) .■ SYDNEY, April 7. - Mr B. S. Stevens, who has been selected aa the new leader of the parliamentary branch of the United Australia Party in New South Walea, and bids fair to become the next Premier of that troubled ■State, has had a meteoric political career, : ) for he was first “felected to. the State House only five years ago.; He can also be described as one of the arch, enemies of the present Labour Premier (Mr Lang), the enmity dating back to the time when Mr • Stevens was Director of State Finance* and permanent head of the. Treasury. When he occupied.-those positions tinder;-/: Mr Bavin, Mr Stevens carried out some important, reorganisations that did_not meet with the approval of Mr Lang. Ever - vindictive, Mr Lang made Mr Stevens a marked man, . and* when Mr Lapg was returned to power Mr Stevens forestalled any action that might have been taken against him by resigning.’ '.7 XMr Stevens went into business in the * city as- a public accountant, but, it was not long before he abandoned this m favour of politics, and when he first stood for Croydon he _ was elected by an; over-..^ whelming majority. He was made Assistant Treasurer in the last Bavin Adtninis ; • tration/'and,,later Treasurer. He' has a remarkable grip on the finances of New ’ South Wales, muddled as they are, and all along he has been , a thorn in Mr Lang’s side. He has proved- himself a dour fighter, in other directions as well, and has been particularly bitter on the present Administration, particularly in its dealings with mechanical .hare racing., _ : Mr .Stevens was .born .in Sydney, and-is >a man of tireless energy and a keen 'oehater. Since Mr Bavin, on account of ill-health, has been unable to ‘ carry but his duties as leader, most of the work of that office has fallen on Mr Stevens, and he has done well. It was a foregone-con-clusion that he would be selected, but ’ there are many who regret that the party has taken a leaf from the'. Labour book and relegated to the raDk>and file the task; V •of selecting the Cabinet;, This Amounts to caucus rule, the evils of which haVe been well exemplified by the Labour Party. ‘lt is hoped that: Mr ,Stevens will - be able to do more, than his predecessor in the ' direction ol cementing the non-/ >■ Labour elements in New South-Wales. / The Country? Party -is still inclined to take a selfish view of things. . ;