N.S.W. POLITICS

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18405, 12 August 1931, Page 7

N.S.W. POLITICS

DOLE BREAD CONTRACT. REQUEST FOR INQUIRY. REJECTED ON PARTY VOTE. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. SYDNEY, August 11. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr T. R. Bavin, moved in the House of Assembly to-day for a Royal Commission to be set up to inquire into the circumstances under which Shadlers, Limited, was given the Government dole bread contract.

Mr Bavin said the argument with Shadlers, Limited, and its sudden unexplained abandonment had created suspicion in the mind of the community.

The moving of the motion evoked great uproar. Mr Bavin urged the Chief Secretary, Mr M. Gosling, for the sake of his own reputation, to agree to the inquiry, as the company consisted of men of straw.

The Chief Secretary, in reply, stated that the Government had embarked on the contract because the master bakers were charging too high a price for relief bread. The Crown Solicitor drew up the agreement, but no penal clause was Inserted because the Government had a right to terminate the contract the moment the supply of bread broke down, as had actually occurred. It was quite untrue to say that the caucus instructed him to cancel the contract. Mr Bavin's motion was defeated on a strictly party vote by 45 votes to 33. Mr Gosling refrained from voting.

PUBLIC SERVANTS PAID.

BURDEN OF TARIFF. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. SYDNEY, August 11. The salaries of the New South Wales public servants were paid today, five days late. The next pay envelopes will be appreciably lighter, because the recent reductions will then have become effective. Dr. Earle Page, addressing a farmers’ conference at Sydney to-day, said the tariff must be cut by 25 per cent., In order to give the primary industries a chance.

Yesterday’s applications practically filled the first State lottery. A queue of optimists waited again to-day for a chance in the second lottery.