CHALLENGE TO LANG

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11985, 27 February 1932, Page 5

CHALLENGE TO LANG

TIN RARE CORRUPTION OPPOSITION GAGGED. t nited Press Assn —By Electric Telegraph— Copyright. SYDNEY, February 26. In the Legislative Assembly today tbe Premier replied to. the critic's concerning his official connection with the tin hare interests. He declared that he did not know am! had never seen or spoken, to Judge Swindell, and if that gentleman visited the Premier’s Department it was without his knowledge. Air Lang contended that a section of the press executives which were interested in tin hare shares were responsible for the propaganda against the Government, because licenses for tin hare courses had not been granted to their particular ventures. Mr Lang deseriVie-d them ns “bucket .imp' newspaper executives, who, with certain members of the Opposition party, haunted such places as Tattergall's Club.

He went on to say that there was a fund in existence in Sydney, to which the Australian Jockey Club and other proprietary interests subscribed, to have tin bare, racing ban-

ned. It was a secret fund for the purpose of bribing members of the Labour Party, but. to their eternal (redit, it was still lying idle. If a Royal Commission were granted, would it inquire into this fund; or might it not with advantage inquire into the origin of the fund built up by the banks and insurance companies last election to fight the Labour Party? Mr Lang saw no reason for the inquiry, except if members of the Opposition were prepared to make definite charges of corruption, instead of relying on interested press propaganda. Air Stevens, deputy-leader of the State Opposition, was prevented from replying to the Premier to-day cn the tin hare allegations. Accordingly Air Stevens issued a statement challenging the Premier to issue a s writ against him in regard to his observations regarding corruption and he promises not to plead parliamentary privilege in open Court. Mr Stevens, when about to answer Air Lang’s denials in the Assembly to-day, was gagged, as also were other members of tli e Opposition.