LANG DISMISSED

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 119, 14 May 1932, Page 3

LANG DISMISSED

By Governor-General

REMARKABLE ACTION

CAUSES WIDESPREAD SENSATION

SYDNEY, May 13.

The Governor, Sir Philip Game, has dismissed the Dang Government. His Excellency will appoint an advisory council immediately pending an arrangement for a dissolution.

NEWS QUICKLY SPREADS

THRILLING SCENES

SYDNEY, May 13.

After recalling Mr. Lang's commission, the Governor sent for the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. B. S. B. Stevens, and appointed him Premier and requested him to form an emergency Cabinet and carrj r on until the dissolution. Mr. Stevens will thus go to the country as Premier and leader of the Government and the United Australia Party. The climax occurred when the Governor wrote Mr. Lang expressing disapproval of the Premier’s action in circularising the heads of Government departments directing them in effect to disobey the Commonwealth proclamation for the attachment of State moneys and to pay all such moneys into the Treasury. His Excellency emphasised that such illegal action on the part of the State Government could not be tolerated. The letter reached the Premier yesterday and a reply was demanded by 11 a.m. to-day. He replied that in no circumstances would the circular be withdrawn. He had two personal interviews with His Excellency this afternoon.

Just before 6 p.m. came the official announcement that the Governor had decided to dismiss the Government from office. It spread throughout the city like wildfire. Broadcast stations delivered the sensational, yet not altogether unexpected, news to the country folk. The scenes in the city were demonstrative and thrilling and burst of cheering were heard in large offices and stores. Business men shouted to one another excitedly: “Lang's out! Lang’s out!” and shook hands and held up the heavy home going traffic with their discussions, their hilarity and exuberance.

JUBILATION IN SYILNEY

GLOOM AT THE TRADES HALL By Telegraph—Copyright—Press As. SYDNEY, May 13. The jubilation throughout the city at the Lang Government’s fall spread to the cafes. Diners chanted “Happy Days Are Here Again” and beat time with knives and forks and hats were thrown into the air. Specials of the evening newspapers on the streets in bold placards proclaimed the end of the Ministry. The scene at the Trades Hall was the gloomiest. Stark tragedy was the key-note of the comment. Prominent Labourites do not predict that Mr. Lang will receive a renewal of confidence at the forthcoming election.

Lang A Wrecker?

Mr. Coates, leader of the Federal Labour group, which mainly opposed the Lang faction in the Upper House, said Mr. Lang had wrecked every Government with which he had been associated —the Storey-Dooley Government, his own Government in 1925, and now another of which he was leader. He had also driven from the Labour movement some of the most earnest men it ever had. It was not unlikely that his actions would have a repercussion on the Victorian and Queensland elections.

It is expected that Parliament will be called together on Tuesday, when Mr. Stevens will formally announce that he has been commissioned to form a Ministry, while Mr. Lang will announce that his commission has been withdrawn. Parliament will be immediately prorogued and writs issued for the election, which will probably be fixed for June 11. It was stated to-night that the Governor had not given assent to the Mortgage Taxation Bill. Whether he will do so is a matter of conjecture.

Beyond exclaiming to pressmen “I’m sacked; I have been dismissed from office,” the Premier refused to comment. He donned his overcoat and added: “I have done my duty; I’m a free man,” and left his office

for unknown parts. His Ministers are

not aware of his whereabouts. The Governor’s action in exercising his prerogative in dismissing the Government is unique in the history of constitutional government in Australia. NULLIFYING MORTGAGE ACT. A COMMONWEALTH MEASURE. CANBERR*A, May 13. Complete powers to nullify the Mortgage Taxation Bill are contained in the Financial Emergency State Legislation Bill, which was rushed through all stages in the House of Representatives to-day. The voting was 45 to 10, the minority comprising the Lang faction and a few Federal Labourites.

Six’ George Pearce, leader of the Government in Senate, declared that Mr Lang’s bill would absolutely ruin the financial structure upon which rested the savings of the people. He said that mortgages held by the banks were approximately £72,000,000. by trustee companies £12,000,000, by trading companies, £12,000,000, and by private individuals £10,000,000| A ten per cent, tax on the total would, he added, yield, not £7,000,000 but £14,000,000.