AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3994, 30 September 1930, Page 28

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTIONS.

MR LANG’S POLICY SPEECH.

SYDNEY, September 23.

Mr Lang’s programme, which, it is estimated by the Guardian, would cost £200,000,000 to put into effect, includes borrowing enough money to build roads and new railways, to finance hydro-elec-tric power schemes, erect schools, guarantee wheat prices, relieve soldier settlers, c< nplete bulk wheat handling, and to build agricultural colleges. Simultaneously, Mr Lang promised to make the railways and tramways pay, to abolish the rationing of work, solve unemployment, and maintain wages. The Herald asks: “ Can Mr Lang borrow the necessary money when Mr Theodore said it was, and would continue to be, impossible to do so? ”

THE WAY TO CHAOS

SYDNEY, September 23.

The Treasurer (Mr B. S. Stevens), referring to Mr La f’s policy sp -h, said: “It is obvious from the general tone >f the speech that Mr Lang does no! understand or appreciate the gravity of the crisis through which Australia is passing. Should he be returned to power and proceed to carry out the policy he has outlined, he will find before many weeks have passed that he will be unable to finance ‘’he services of the State, and will plunge the whole community into financial chaos.”

BUSINESS MEN AMAZED.

SYDNEY, September 23.

Leading business men express amazement at Mr Lang’s promises, and assert that his policy is quite impossible of achievement. The keynote of the comment was that Mr Lang either did not appear to appreciate the real gravity of Australia’s position or he deliberately desired to hoodwink the electors.

The Evening News, in an editorial headed “ Birdlime,” expresses the opinion that Mr Lang must have a low opinion of the electors, for whom he has spread the cheapest quality of birdlime. His policy, summed up in three words, amounts to “ Boom, borrow, bust.”

SHORT ROAD TO BANKRUPTCY. SYDNEY, September 26. The State Treasurer (Mr Stevens), in the course of an address, declared that Mr Lang’s proposals were the short road to bankruptcy and national disaster.

IF LABOUR IS SUCCESSFUL.

SYDNEY, September 23. Mr J. Graves, president of the New South Wales branch of'tie Australian Party, and campaign director of the Labour Party at the forthcoming State elections, hints that if Labour is successful at the polls attempts will be made to introduce banking reforms, whereby the community will cease to be “ the ‘ plaything ’ of a coterie of banking institutions.”

MR CANN’S CANDIDATURE.

SYDNEY, September 26. A feature of the elections is that, Mr George Cann, who was the Minister of Health and Local Government in the first Lang Administration, is now standing as a Nationalist candidate.

NEW SOUTH WALES IMPORTS. SYDNEY, September 26. Overseas imports into the State for August amounted to £2,775,787, compared with £5,301,062 for the same month last year, a decrease of 47 per cent. Every item showed a tremendous drop.

SUSPENSION OF AWARDS.

NEW SOUTH WALES REQUEST. SYDNEY, September 26. In order to aid its relief plans the New South Wales Government applied to the Federal Arbitration Court for suspension of the Federal awards covering builders, labourers, carpenters, and joiners.

Mr Justice Beeby, describing the mat ter as one of extreme importance, announced that he would give his decision next week.

WHEAT PROSPECTS. •

VICTORIA REJECTS POOL. MELBOURNE, September 23. The proposal of the State Ministry to establish a compulsory wheat pool was rejected by the wheat growers.

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN CROP.

PERTH, September 23. The Minister of Agriculture expects the wheat harvest to be 50,000,000 bushels, at an average of 13 bushels per acre, which the State has never previously reached.

RAZOR SLASHERS IN SYDNEY.

MAN ORDERED LASHES. . SYDNEY, September 23.

Sydney Kelly, aged 29, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and 15 lashes on a charge of wounding, with intent to

do grievous bodily harm. He held his victim while his associate slashed him with a razor.

MELBOURNE EXCHANGE.

SHARP FALL IN SHARES.

MELBOURNE, September 26. Following the Budget announcements, a very sharp fall occurred in all shares’ on the Stock Exchange. Government’ loan issues and banking stocks were all offered at substantial reductions, while heavy falls are recorded over a wide, range of leading industrial and general investment issues. The cause of the slump is the Government's new taxation proposals.

MR HUGHES AND POLITICS.

THE AUSTRALIAN PARTY.

SYDNEY, September 24. Mr W. M. Hughes, M.P., as leader, of the small political group styled the. Australian Party, whose candidates at the forth-coming State elections number about a dozen outlined his policy tonight. All of his references to Sir Otto, Niemeyer’s mission were satirical. He denied that wages in Australia were too high and he declared that these were fixed by arbitration according to price levels. The Australian Party would resist any attempt to reduce the standard of living and would see to it that the rights of both capital and Labour were adequately protected. He contended that Australia was as solvent today as ever proof whereof was disclosed in all the bank balance sheets. Credit should be mobilised in order tci assist private enterprise and the over-, draft rate should be 64 per cent., which would stimulate industry. Taxation should be substantially reduced and business and company management called for thorough reorganisation. The Australian Party would abolish all Legislative Councils, greatly reduce the membership of .the Legislative Assembi lies and abolish State Governors.

COST OF LIVING.

A DECREASE FOR AUGUST.

SYDNEY, September 25. The Commonwealth Statistician’s statement on the cost of living in tile Commonwealth for August shows that a decrease of 1.1 per cent, was recorded, compared with the previous month, iq towns, and a decrease of .9 per cent, in the capitals.

ELECTRICAL COMPANIES.

MERGER IN AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, September 25.

Three electrical companies (the Aus= tralian Genera) Electric Company, Ltd., Ferguson and Pailin, Ltd., and the Metro? polita i Vickers of Australia Proprietary, Ltd.) have decided to combine for manufacturing purposes in Australia. The new company will be known as the Australian Electrical Manufacturing Company, with a capital of £BOO,OOO. The effect, is stated to be the pooling of works and materials to eliminate unessential plants; and overhead costs.

LITHGOW STATE PIT IDLE.

DISPUTE OVER PAYMENT. SYDNEY, September 25. Seven hundred miners at the railway State mine at Lithgow decided not to work. The dispute concerns payment for the mining of hard or faulty coal.

FURTHER RETRENCHMENT.

FIVE HUNDRED MEN AFFECTED, SYDNEY, September 25. The secretary of the Australian Railways Union stated that another 500 railway employees would be retrenched to-morrow.

QUEENSLAND SCANDAL.

MUNGANA MINING LEASES. BRISBANE, September 26.

Royal assent has been given to the Crown Remedies Act, which will pave the way for civil action against Mr E, G. Theodore and others for the recovery of money alleged to have been paid for the Mnngana mines.

RAILWAY GAUGES.

AUSTRALIAN UNIFICATION.

BRISBANE, September 28.

The first through train from Sydney arrived on Saturday, marking the completion of the first section of Common-wealth-wide unification of gauges. The duration of the journey was reduced by six hours, and a fine stretch of coastal and mountain scenery was opened to travellers. The border was crossed in a tunnel.

RESULTS OF BY-ELECTION.

MELBOURNE, September 28. The by-election for Hawthorn to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr M'Pherson resulted:—J. A Gray (Nationalist), 11,957, W. H. Hulse (Labour), 6912. The Nationalists gained over 3600 votes since the November elections.