SCULLIN SOMERSAULTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 966, 8 May 1930, Page 9

SCULLIN SOMERSAULTS

PREFERENCE RESTORED TO SOLDIERS COMMENT IN PARLIAMENT United P.A. —By Telegraph—Copyright CANBERRA, Wednesday. Serious political consequences which threatened the Federal Government have been averted for the time being by the Prime Minister, Mr. J. H. Scullin, recommending' to .the Labour caucus today the restoration of full preference to returned soldiers on public works contracts. The caucus approved and an announcement to that effect was made in the House of Representatives later. In announcing this reversal of the Government’s previous decision, the Prime Minister, Mr. J. H. Scullin, said its desire had been to safeguard conditions for returned soldiers. There was a danger that if returned men were not unionists they could be employed for less than arbitration award rates, and thus be exploited. RATHER THIN Mr. J. G. Latham, Leader of the Opposition, said the, explanation was rather thin. It was quite apparent that the Government had not made a willing retreat. Its hand had been forced and the speeches delivered last Friday would not be readily forgotten. He hoped that this would be a lessen to the Government. Mr. R. F. Green, Country Party member for Richmond, who lost a leg in the war, bitterly attacked the Government. He said there was no such thing as preference for unionists at the front. "Labour failed us then and afterwards.” he declared. “Apparently it still possesses its hatred of soldiers.”