“LABOUR PARTY DOOMED.”

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18849, 11 April 1931, Page 18

“LABOUR PARTY DOOMED.”

OPINIONS OF AUSTRALIAN VISITOR. RAPID RECOVERY SUGGESTED. "While there are cries of hardship, depression, and suffering:, and mention is being widely made of ailments with which the country is suffering, people must not forget that there is still great business activity in Australia,” said Mr Will Lawson, to a "Herald” representative yesterday, when discussing Australia's political problems. Mr Lawson has spent 15 years in Australia, and was in Timaru yesterday on a business visit. "The political position.*' said Mr Lawson, ‘is that Mr Scullin and Mr Lang have disappointed the people, and have failed utterly to carry out their premises, together with a disinclination to put Australia on the right track. The feeling towards Mr Lyons is this: ‘The country do not want Nationalists. any more than they want extreme Labour, as the people consider that both parties have contributed towards the present position. What Australia Wants is a new party with a new leader, and an absence of party politics.’ ” People Want Lyons. Mr Lawson explained that if Mr Lyons did not get in on a no-confidence motion, he would be bound to gain success in three months time when an election was expected to be held. The Senate had now refused to pass the Inflation Bill, which pointed to a double dissolution. Mr Lyons, supported by the "All For Australia League.” an organisation widespread throughout the Commonwealth, would then undoubtedly get in as the mover of a progressive policy. "It will be the biggest movement in politics that Australia has ever seen, and it is being inspired by a desire to relieve a situation which may be called a climax of bad government,” said Mr Lawson. The Australian visitor said he considered that the present state of affairs in the country had been brought about by the indifference of the Australian. who had been living in periods of prosperity, and did not seem to care who governed the country. Now it was amazing to see how all ranks throughout the Commonwealth were rallying around the movement to put Australia on her feet. “Australia Will Recover.** "Although the present position appears bad to outsiders,” continued Mr Lawson, "I am confident that Australia will recover more rapidly than any other country in the world, because of her tremendous resources and the fact that most of her primary produce is now commanding better prices than it has for some time. Once confidence is restored, and money is released for Industrial work and other activities, there will be more prosperous times.” Mr Lawson pointed out that the cautious manner of all Australian institutions. such as banks, stock and station firms, and insurance companies, had resulted in these concerns being practically unaffected by the slump so far as insolvency was concerned, although a number of retail city concerns had experienced a bad time and some had practically gone under as a result of the purchasing power of the people being diminished. Referring to Mr Lang, Mr Lawson said that the Premier was now following a course of bluff, which had arisen out of his policy of repudiation, which was very unpopular amongst the bulk of the people of Australia. If the programme of the Lyons party were carried out. a referendum would be taken as to whether State Parliaments were to be disbanded. Indications were that a majority of these Parliaments would be superseded by Provincial Councils in the various districts, with the Federal Government reigning supreme. Civil War Rumours. "Rumours as to civil war may be discounted,” said Mr Lawson, “because Australians possess too much commonsense to be plunged into a plight of this | nature. While the rank and file are feeling the pinch very much, it would take a great deal more to stir them into an action such as has been suggested. Business in wheat and butter is good, while there are indications that wool prices have taken a turn for the better. I am sure that it will not be long before confidence is restored, and Australia will soon be able to take her rightful place amongst the nations again.”