MR LANG AND NEW7 GUARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 19093, 28 January 1932, Page 8

MR LANG AND NEW 7 GUARD.

THE INSULTING SPEECH. In a speech, which was broadcasted, to the Lane Cove division of the New Guard, the commandant of the organisation (Mr Eric Campbell) referred to the petition which the New Guard is to send to the King, and also made a statement that Mr Lang would not open the Harbour Bridge. Having referred to the • contingent of fire fighters sent out by the New Guard. Mr Campbell said a bush fire only destroyed material wealth. There was in New South Wales a scourge far greater than any bush fire —a scourg? which had ravaged the State for nearly eighteen months unchecked. It had crippled industry, increased unemployment a hundredfold, and spread ruin, disaster and misery throughout the land. The New Guard would see that the bush fire of Langism was stamped out. (Applause.) There was in charge of the State a defaulting trustee. The citizens, in their blindness, had elected a Premier who had failed definitely and absolutely in all the basic pledges of personal integrity, individual security, and the sanctity of contract. Therefore he had no right to continue in office. As a definite means of removing him the New Guard ha-.l prepared the petition to the King. (Applause.) “We have pledged ourselves to rid the State of a nasty tyrant,” said Mr Campbell. “The safest way is to appeal to the head of the Empire to rid us of him .(Applause.) This is the major petition presented by a Dominion, colony, or dependency since before the War of American Independence. It is going to be an entire success. (Cheers.) It is going to be the means of destroying Langism in New South Wales. (Prolonged applause). When I say ‘Langism’ it conjures uo in my mind everything which is loathsome in government control.” (Cheers.) Mr Campbell said that already 100,000 signatures had been subscribed. It was a petition for every decent, loyal citizen of New South Wales. To fail to sign it branded the citizen as unpatriotic and of no account. He asked everyone, including the “Langplanners,” to sign it. Then, if the buffoon at the head of affairs were returned after the dissolution, it would be proof that he had the confidence of the people. (Laughter.) Street Procession. “At the presentation of the petition I ask every Guard to march behind the petition, and I ask every citizen who has the courage or the remaining shreds of self-respect, and who has signed the petition, to come out into the open and declare themselves,” ho added, amid wild applause. “I want t) see half a million people take part in the demonstration. The petition will be borne through the streets of Sydney under the protection of our mobile brigade. It will be presented to che Governor by a number of representative citizens. It will be cabled the same night to the King. We shall then have to wait a reasonable time to see whether the petition is granted. “If it is not granted,” said Mr Campbell, “I shall place before you for your adoption other means which will be quite lawful, quite constitutional, and very effective. (Loud cheers.) In the petition I see the only lawful and peaceful way of settling our difficulties. There are other ways, lawful, but possibly not so peaceful. Opening: of Bridge. “The people of New South Wales will not permit Mr Lang to open the bridge,” Mr Campbell continued. A voice: “Let’s chuck him off the bridge.” (Laughter.) “I am determined that the man who has dragged cur honour in the mire, who chooses men like Donald Grant and ‘Jock’ Garden, who belong to the Third International, to represent him. even though he masquerades as our Premier —I am determined that he wiU not open the bridge. As the New Guard does not act as the Communists do, privily in the night, by sneaking action, we tell Mr Lang now that he will not open the bridge. (Applause.) “Let us, at this stage, see that someone of quality, if possible a Prince cf the Royal blood, opens it for the people of New South Wales,” he conchided.

When Mr Campbell resumed his seat prolonged cheers were given for him. There were also hoots for Mr Lahg.