DECISION AGAINST LANG

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1932, Page 7

DECISION AGAINST LANG

DEBTS TO COMMONWEALTH

LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS

PENALTIES FOR BREACHES THE POLICY TO BE PURSUED By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, May 5. The High Court has declared that New South Wales owes the Commonwealth £2,029,432. The claim by the State by way of a set-off is refused. A Canberra message states that the Enforcement Act Amendment Bill, which has passed the Senate, provides that in the case of Ministers and proclaimed public authorities, penalties for a breach of the Act will be a fine of £5OO or a year’s imprisonment, or both, on a summary charge, or a fine of £lOOO or three years’ imprisonment or both on an indictable charge. Half of these maximum .penalties will be applied for each day the offence continues. This affects not only Mr. J. T. Lang and Cabinet, but also the Transport Board. The Prime Minister (Mr. J. A. Lyons) said the continued default of the State and its harmful results would force the Commonwealth almost day by day to take some new step to correct the position. “The Commonwealth will continue to pursue this course as long as the State Government continues to default. The Government has decided to attach a portion of the railway and tramway revenues and license fees.” — i “RECALCITRANT LANG AT BAY.” LONDON NEWSPAPER’S COMMENT. London, April 28. “The Commonwealth’s drastic step with regard to the New South Wales revenues should swiftly bring the recalcitrant Mr. Lang to heel.” In a leading article headed ‘‘Mr. Lang at Blay,” the Morning Post expresses this opinion in dealing with the critical condition into which the Premier has brought the State. x "There can be no doubt,” the newspaper says, “that the great majority of Australians in all the States, including New South Wales, are firm in supporting Mr. Lyons’ stubborn defence of the national honour.

“The States are notoriously jealous of Federal encroachments on their sovereignty, and some at first were inclined to take alarm at the powers of attachment the Commonwealth was assuming.

But their fears have been allayed by the universal sense of humiliation that Mr. Lang’s proceedings have inspired, and by the realisation that no State which honourably fulfils its obligations has anything to be afraid of.”