“TAKES ALL.”

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18407, 14 August 1931, Page 3

“TAKES ALL.”

PEARCE ON LANG. “•END HIS REIGN.” CANBERRA, August 4. An attack on Mr Lang’s method of carrying out the decisions of the Premiers' Conference was made by the leader of the Opposition (Sir George Pearce) to-day. Resuming the debate on the first reading of the Appropriation Bill, Sir George said that, as the result of certain negotiations, there was no need to discuss further the attitude the Senate was to adopt over granting the full 12 months’ supply to the Government.

Mr Lang’s proposal to reduce all Public Service salaries -to £5OO, he continued, would deprive the Commonwealth of the revenue usually derived from these salaries. Mr Lang was appropriating tae lot. If every State Government did the same it would prevent the Federal Government carrying out the Premiers’ plan. “Reign of Degradation.”

Mr Lang’s offer to carry out that plan in an endeavour to get financial assistance, was that of a desperate man. In the interests of New South Wales, and -the whole of Australia, he should be treated as a defaulter. "Confidence and credit cannot be completely restored so long as the biggest and richest State of the Commonwealth is governed by a man of that kind, and the Federal Government should show him no mercy,” added Sir George. "Governing Is financing, and financing is governing, and when Lang ceases to finance, He should cease to govern. Anything this Government can do to terminate his reign of degradation the better." Economic Conference.

Senator Pearce proposed a conference of employers and employees to devise a plan for the economic rehabilitation of Australia. The Premiers’ Plan for financial rehabilitation, would, he believed, be successful, but there must be economic rehabilitation, too.