FIERY SPEECHES AND WILD SUGGESTIONS IN AUSTRALIA.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 63, 16 March 1931, Page 1

FIERY SPEECHES AND WILD SUGGESTIONS IN AUSTRALIA.

Threats To Overthrow Government And Then Establish Dictatorship .

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—-Copyright.) (Received March 16, 9.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, March 16. At Greta, the metropolitan labour conference yesterday was marked by fiery speeches, and wild suggestions that Mr Lang was in personal danger and arms should be taken up to protect him from the menace of the cadet corps of the Fascist groups, which were forming throughout the State.

Mr Donald Grant, a well known domain orator, declared: “If you can get guns get hold of them. Ido not say use them. That would be sedition, but get hold of them.”

One delegate was applauded for a declaration that a revolution would be a Godsend.

The maintenance of a 'White Australia was affirmed as a policy plank, and the suggestion was made that a special police force should be established to counteract the All for Australia League, and the new States movement. A special committee was set up to devise means of combating those. It may report to the Attorney-General with a view to ascertaining if the Government possesses the power to disband the organisations working for the new States and the league.

From Perth comes the story of a suggestion that five hundred picked returned soldiers should assemble near Canberra, take the city, turn out the Government and the members of Parliament and then establish Sir John Monash as dictator.

This was submitted to a meeting of West Australian flying men who decided to urge the conference of the Returned Soldiers’ Association to consider how existing conditions could be met.

Another suggestion was for a Khaki Shirt Movement, and that when the Government was turned out, the British Government be informed that the country had been taken in the King’s name and asking that someone be sent to Australia to take charge. Sir John Monash is at present in India.