STILL A POWER.

Wairarapa Age, 20 May 1936, Page 5

STILL A POWER.

MB. GARDEN’S EXPULSION FROM LABOUR PARTY. FEARS OF AN INTENSIFIED FACTION FIGHT. (Received This Day, 0.25 a.m.) SYDNEY, May 19. Labour circles are gravely perturbed over the expulsion of Mr. J. S. Garden, 'which it is feared may intensify the faction fight that has already begun over the control of Labour’s broadcasting station. Although Mr. Garden has been removed from the Labour

Party, he still remains a member of the Labour Council, which represents the most active unions of the State and includes many unions affiliated with the State Labour Party.

He thus has a large following, representing the industrial wing, which is capable of completing dividing Labour’s forces in this State. This aspect is causing most anxiety to Federal Labour politicians, who fear that the breach between Messrs Lang and Garden may be most difficult to heal, and probably will have a repercussion at next election, which is what they wanted to avoid.

The newspapers recall that Mr. Garden was responsible for the “Red Rules” which gave Mr. Lang complete control over the Labour Party and provided political careers for several men prominent in the Iftbour Movement. (An earlier message, reporting Mr. Garden’s expulsion from the Australian Labour Party, appears on page 3.)