AUSTRALIAN STATE POLITICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3518, 16 August 1921, Page 17

AUSTRALIAN STATE POLITICS.

MELBOURNE, August 8. Mr Lawson has opened the Liberal campaign. He delivered a policy speech. Mr Lawson declared that the Government would be a socialistic masquerader in Liberal garments it' it had not refused to continue the wheat pool system. Every Liberal in the National Government, stood for the control of production and industry by private enterprise. The proposal for a wheat-growers’ compulsory pool was an instalment of revolutionary syndicalism in Victoria. August 10. Mr Allan, leader of the banners’ Party in the Assembly, in expounding his policy, said that the Government assumed a criminal responsibility when it suddenly changed its policy respecting the wheat pool, thus throwing the producers on to an unstable open market. This was obeying, not the electors, but the wheat merchants and speculators. SYDNEY, August 8. Strong efforts are being made to induce Mr Andrew Fisher (late Commonwealth High Commissioner and a former Prime Minister) to accept nomination for the

West Sydney seat. IT is selection for the seat is probable, with a view to his reassuming the leadership of the Labour Party 7 . Mr Fisher announced that be will accept nomination if his colleagues desire it. August 9. Mr Tudor announced that his health continues unsatisfactory, and that lie feels that he will be unable to continue the leadership of the Labour Party. August 12. The newspapers are calling attention to the issue by the Australian Labour Party of bonds towards a fund for the assistance of city Labour aldermen in order to secure their return at the next municipal elections. The bonds are valued at £l, 10s, and 5s respectively. The employees of the Council are expected to take them up according to their rate of pav. A circular accompanying the bonds emphasises that most of the concessions the employees enjoy were secured by the Labour aldermen, am! if they are not returned again the concessions will be withdrawn. A total of £2OOO of the £SOOO expected has Ixien already paid, but it is understood that a number of the employees are opposed to what they regard as a forced levy. ADELAIDE, August 10 The Premier, during the Address-in-Reply debate, said that the Government

was firmly opposed to the continuance of the wheat pool. The Government had decided also on a vigorous policy of retrenchment. August 12. In the Assembly the censure motion was defeated by 22 votes to 17. The Farmers’ Party voted with Labour. BRISBANE, Augu-t 10. The Governor’s speech at the opening of Parliament was largely colourless. The proposals include insurance against unemployment, widening the scope of the Workers’ Compensation Act, the extension of railway's to open up the western and north-western areas, the abolition of capita! punishment. An early local loan of £3,000,000 is foreshadowed. August 12. In the Assembly the Country Party moved a vote of no confidence in the Government. The debate was adjourned til! Tuesday. August 13. In the Assembly Mr Vowles, Leader of the Opposition, moved a vote of non-confi-dence in the Government.