FEDERAL POLICY UNDER FIRE

Chronicle (Levin), 8 March 1946, Page 5

FEDERAL POLICY UNDER FIRE

TIIRP " PROGG ATTACK AT CAJNBBRRA. RccelvoA rhursday, 8.20 p.m. CANBERRA, March 6. The debate on the Opposition'!. .iiocxon ccxisahug the Government is ontinrang. ii- uiovxi.g the motion, Mr. Menzies of tae Opposition, alaciied tm overnmenc on three grounds:— Pm noiv liig a section of Australia's water-.-da v. oruei'B 'to dictate the forei.p: oiicy oi the country, for failing to re i ro:/ aci; quaceiy to nntam s appea . n it od, and fcr failing in its approac'h o ;t-\var industry. ne said that aurng the past two years the Governme^c ..ua teen repeatedly warned that t'oo orouuetion would he afi'ected by the ort: ; go of manpower in rural indus iries. Australia came out of the wai w:ti a manui acturing capacity un dreamed of yeaio ago. This must r> aua marnets outside her owu 7, >h'! 0£-0 peoi. le must be sought. Indus trial probiems should be attacked b. ;i:c- u:>e oi ouims and proiit sharing sys ei.'.s an.t by a reduction of taxes.

uepiymg, the Prime Minister, Mr. Jhiiley, sud that when Indonesi.ms aiKcd oif Dutch ships m Austraua .iabii.tr was tiirown on the Govern :e:u. Of 25 ships, most got away, on.! j ily a fe.v were not ieft. Orews couia ioc i.e obtained' as crew after crew o: ; Jutch natm :ais jOined the striire. v.uei! , the first ccnference on the question was 3id some ships were bemg loaded witxx ■iii? and anununition. It was felt or. rjie watcriront that Australia should .10 1 be asrocjated with the suppiy o, 'umuiry matenal lor wiiat was, m ileet, Cxvii war in Indonssia. After th. onierence he had tried to find some oiution which would not create distui ; oances and hold up food for Britain niu otner iiations. The workers nxd •lone somu stupid tliings, but "news noer editors who were getting th-i nghest renuinerafion under the very ,es'„ conditioxis oi work set out to iec _ire wharf iabourers and coal miners," i8 sai'd. "it would not matter if all -uiitors knocked oti work tomorrow, out f a miner, a watersider, or a winchman .nocked off, that would make all the uitlerence." Ke v;ent on to announce txiat an agreement had been reacned on the Dutch sliipping question, and direetjd ihe umons to expedite ioading. Mr. Fadden, leader of the Country Party, also attacked the Govenumn: s action.