STATE LOTTERY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20097, 28 November 1930, Page 13

STATE LOTTERY.

MOVES IN NEW SOUTH WALES. STRATEGY OF MR LANG. Craox oca own coboespokdekt.) SYDNEY, November 20. The expectation that the New South Wales Government will establish a State lottery and so follow the exmaple of Queensland, hangs partly on the proceedings last week at a meeting of the Australian Loan Council. When he was last in power the Premier of the State (Mr Lang) thwarted all moves to establish a lottery, even though the majority of the members of his Party were in favour of it, and in some quarters great surprise has been expressed when he does not deny the rumours that a lottery would be established. Labour has always been inclined to favour the lottery plan as a means of raising money, but when pressure was last put upon Mr Lang he is reported to have replied: "While there is a Labour Government in Tasmania and in Queensland there will be no State lottery in New South Wales." In those days (1925-27) the BrucePage Government had been in power for many years, and as it seemed strongly entrenched in the Federal Parliament, there was a strong tie between the Labour States. When the Premiers met, as they did on occasions, Mr Lyons, who was Premier of Tasmania and is now Federal Treasurer, never failed to point out how Tasmania benefited from the conduct of a certain "consultation," and Mr Lang was sympathetic to a fellow apostle of Labour. But now the paths of Mr Lang and Mr Lyons have diverged on the question of Australia's loan policy. More than that, Mr Lyons gave no help to Mr Lang's Party during the recent New South Wales election. In those days, too, there was a Labour Government in Queensland, and Queensland, it was known, was drawing heavily on New South Wales for the success of its Golden Casket Art Union for the hospitals. Money for Hospitals. Now a National Government has control in Queensland, so Mr Lang has no further interest in that State. He is not that sort of a Labour man; he is not a gtatesman in the national sense of the ■term. He can ■ see a chance of raising some money —easy money—and he is not likely to worry whether it will hit any other State. The idea is to use the money for the hospitals which are in a very impoverished state. Mr Lang is certain to have the support of a majority of the Party, but he will be unable to get the measure past the Legislative Council unless he crams it with Labour secretaries and other Labour stalwarts, including his mother-in-law, as he proposes to do. , It is estimated that p.bout 40 per cent, (about £BO,OOO annually) of the money received by the Queensland Golden Casket has come from New South Wales. Probably a greater amount goes to Tasmania. If New South Wales_ decides upon a lottery it seems certain _ that Victoria, for its own protection, will do likewise. The idea Mis already been discussed, but the Cabinet has not made a decision. It looks as if its hand will be forced.