MR. LAMO’S NEW TEAM

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1930, Page 2

MR. LAMO’S NEW TEAM

LABOUR AGAIN IN POWER NEW SOUTH WALES CABINET. SELECTION OE THE MINISTERS. Sydney, Nov. (1. The new Labour Premier of New South Wales, Mr. J. T. Lang, has already given the members of the party a definite indication, that he is going to be a rider in more than mime alone. When he called the caucils together for the purpose of selecting his Cabinet he made it known that there was a ticket he favoured. Every member of that ticket, with one exception, was selected. The man who wars defeated, the veteran Mr. Andrew Lysaght, Attorney-General in his last administration, wars appointed by Mr. Lang in defiance of the expressed wish of the party. Nothing could reveal better the character of Mr. Lang, who likes his own way in all tilings. It is extremely unlikely, however, that he will be able to tread as rosy a path as he has planned, though hits worst troubles may not start for some time yet. . . Mr. Lang’s admirers acclaim him as the strongest man in Australian politics; as Australia’s supqj.inan in political strategy; as the one man, above all others, who can lead Labour out of the political wilderness. Hies opponents cannot see an ounce of good in him. They regard him as the wild man of Australian politics; as the type of the modern Machiavelian in subtle, crafty political scheming. They see in him a very adroit but sinister figure, always thinking out diabodical plots against his opponents and the institutions to which they acknowledge loyaly. No one can pretend to get very far behind the mind of Mr. Lang. He is unquestionably a man of iron determination. One can see it in his jaw; feel it in his manner of speech. He is determined to the length of showing something almost of pig-headedness in a clash with those who cross swords with him. He is blunt. He says precisely what he means. Those who profess to know him say he is quite a likeable, human fellow. But very few admit that they really do know him. DEMANDS ON NEW GOVERNMENT. When the Nationalist Government went out of office they, left the coffers fairly full, and Labour will have no financial problems to solve for at least another month. Parliament will not meet until November 25 and in the meantime Mr. Lang will, no doubt, be busy devising means to meet the many demands that will be made upon him by 'his own friends. For instance, the miners have already demanded a full inquiry into the Rothbury riots that took place this year. More than that, they have demanded—those who are still out of a job—the right to work, or to receive the full basic wage while they are idle. Then the railwaymen have been busy. They are demanding an immediate return,to the 44-hour week and the reinstatement of all the men who have been dismissed by the Commissioners because there is no work for them to do. They say that they have the right to be on the payroll whether there is work for them or not, and they look to Mr. Lang to right a wrong. There are other unions that arc restless because Mr. Lang has not already waved his magic wand and caused the millions to flow into the Treasury. Yes, even his own people are doubting him already, and he has a hard time ahead. The other night when a Labour Municipal Council was invited to co-operate in a scheme that would relieve the Government of some embarrassment it refused on the ground that . Mr. Lang had promised to find a million and ahalf for the particular job under review, and Mr. Lang could be trusted to keep his promise. PERSONNEL OF THE CABINET. Judging by the personnel of the Cabinet the bulk of the work will fall on Mr. Lang for he has not been given any particularly brilliant colleagues. They are a solid lot without much imagination—-without any outstanding ability, Mr. Jack Badeley, the new Minister of Labour, is not popular among the unions, but he can at least claim to be a hard-headed politician, for during the Rothbury riots he was hit over the head with a police baton and no damage was done. He once worked as a miner and hp is far from being a fluent speaker. Rough and ready, he has a face that suggests strength. Mr. Mark Gosling, who goes back to the Chief Secretary’s office, is tall and striking, with a particularly bitter tongue, when it is directed at his opponents. He achieved fame during the last term of the Labour Government by making it easy for the tin hares to operate and it is said that he still looks upon this form of coursing with a favourable eye. Anyway, the shares in tin hare companies, which have been practically worthless since the Nationalist Government restricted their operations, have increased in value. Mr. Dunn, once a school teacher and farmer, goes back to agriculture and he can consider himself lucky, for he was one of those Ministers who unsuccessfully tried conclusions with Mr. Lang In 1927, when the party was badly split. Mr. James McKell, who was Minister of Justice when the split occurred, has got back in spite of Mr. Lang’s wish that he should not. He has been given the portfolio of Local Government and the man he defeated, Mr. Lysaght, known as “Ironbark Andy,” becomes the Attorney-General. Mr. Lysaght towers Cft Gin, a heavy moustache and a grey, pointed beard. He has a dramatic turn of oratory, but no sense of humour. The youngest Minister is Mr. Joseph Lamaro, who achieved political fame in 1925 by opposing Mr. W- M. Hughes in North Sydney and was soundly beaten. He is only 36, small, boyish and bespectacled. He is a barrister and has a war record. There is one journalist in the team, Mr. W. T. Ely, a groat friend of Mr. Lang. THE NEW SPEAKER. The new Speaker will be Mr. Burke, one of the veterans of the Labour movement in New South Wales, but hardly a man who is likely to insist upon much dignity in Parliament, and dignity is sadly 'needed in the New South Wales Assembly. Mr. Burke is one of those hearty customers always ready for a practical joke. He has always had an eye on the Speakership. Those who know him best cannot understand why.