N.S.W. UPPER HOUSE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20101, 3 December 1930, Page 11

N.S.W. UPPER HOUSE.

NEW APPOINTMENTS I I REFUSED GOVERNOR'S REPLY TO PREMIER'S REQUEST. NO STATEMENT FROM MR LANG. (UKITED PRE 3 3 ASSOCIATION—BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH—COPYRIGHT.) (Received December 2nd, 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 2. The Premier, Mr J. T. Lang, had an interview with the Governor, Sir Philip Game, to-day, concerning additional appointments to the Legislative Council. A deadlock resulted and Mr Lang hurried back and immediately moved the adjournment of the Legislative Assembly, refusing to give any reason beyond saying that a matter of high public importance was involved.

Members immediately scented a political crisis and bombarded the Premier with questions. The adjournment was agreed to on a strictly Party division. The Prens expresses the opinion that Mr Lang's request for new appointments to the Upner House has beon either flatly refused or held in abeyance. It is expected that Mr Lang will take the matter up again with his Excellency. The House rose till to-morrow.

The Governor's Stand. It is understcod that Mr Lang a3k©d tho Governor to agree to 40 additional appointments to the Upper House, and that the request was refused, his Excellency taking the stand that no reasonable argument had been submitted in support of the Premier's contention that the Government's policy rrensures were threatened in that Chamber, and that until such eventuality occurred, his Excellency was unable. constitutionally or reasonably, to acocle to so manv appointments. Cabinet discussed the position for two hours this afternoon.

The Premier declined to make any statement for publication. The position which now confronts the Lanr> Ministry is almost identical with what occurred in 1925, when, after considerable negotiation. the then Governor, Sir Dudley de Chair, agreed to the appointment of 25 n;w members, sufficient to enable the Council to lie swamped. However, jt number of these did not attend when the vital division upon the abolition of the Council was taken, and the Governobjective fn'led.

No fewer than 1347 applications have been received from Labour candidates by the Australian Labour Party executive for appointment to the Upper House. ABOLITION PROPOSALS. THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS. (Received December 3rd, 12.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, December 2. Two Bills relating to the abolition of the Legislative Council were read a first time, on the voices, and the second readings will be taken to-morrow. One of the foregoing is designed to repeal the Bavin Government's Act, which stipulated that the Upper House shall not be abolished until a referendum of electors is taken. Everything hinges on the fate of these two Bills. In the event of the Council throwing them out or shelving them, Mr Lang intends to appeal to the Home authorities for the recall of the Governor, throwing on him the responsibility for the Government's failure to give effect to its legislative policy.

When the debate on the Address-in-Reply in the Assembly is finished, no further business will be brought forward pending the outcome of the Upper House impasse.

INFLATION OF CURRENCY. MANY PROBLEMS TO BE INVESTIGATED. (Received December 2nd, 8 p.m.) MELBOURNE. December 2. The conference between the Federal Cabinet and the board of directors of the Commonwealth Bank on the release of credits, which is advocated by the Australian Council of Trades Unions, has been postponed indefinitely to enable the board of the bank to investigate thoroughly the many problems raised by Federal Ministers yesterday. Members of the board feel that owing to the delicate and intricate nature of the Lalwur scheme it could not hurriedly make a pronouncement. Most of the Federal Ministers, like the board of direclors, appreciate the danaer of tampering with the currency, the view being held that it is likely to harass the process of national reconstruction.