POLITICAL AFFAIRS IN AUS RALIA

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 2, 27 September 1921, Page 6

POLITICAL AFFAIRS IN AUS RALIA

POSITION OF LABOUR INTERVIEW WITH HON. W. H. TftlfiGS / The Hon. W f . H. Triggs, M.L.C., and Mrs. Triggs, who have been spending the winter in Australia, returned to New Zealand by the Ulimaroa. Mr. Triggs speaks in the highest terms of the winter climate of Sydney, but states he is told that the past winter has been exceptionally fine. The thermometer was never below 41 degrees, and there was an abundance of sunshine. Asked about the political situation in ’Australia, Mr. Triggs said it looked as if the reign of Labour in Queens'and and Now South Wales was drawing to a close. The Labour Party in Queensland sustained an overwhelming debacle Just when they seemed to have everything in their own hands they had a majority in the Legislative Assembly, although only a small one. and with the assistance of an Acting-Gover-nor of their own nomination they had. swamped the Upper House They then passed an Act extending the municipal franchise by making it the same as for the Parliamentary elections, and evidently felt sure of. capturing the •••lunicipal government of the country. As a matter of fact, however, they sustained an overwhelming defeat at the municipal elections, scarcely any *•’ their candidates being returned Since then Air. Peterson, one of Air. Theodore s supporters?, has left tho MHisferia ; camp his speech! in • explanation of his change showing that ho has been entirely disillusioned regarding the extremist views of his erstwhile leaders. This leaves the Ministry with a majoi-, itv of one, and it is thought, that i another general election took place they would he heavily defeated. • The Labour Government in Aew South Wales is holding on by a. majority of one, which was secured by inducing a member of the Opposition Partv to take the office of Speaker. Owing to a peculiar electoral system, basedon proportional representation, a vacancy that in the oHHu’T w ay would lead to a by-election is filled up by the •nomination of.another candidate belonging tc'the ssme party, so that unless Air Levy resigns -the office of Sneaker ot some’member of the House changes sides the Ministry apparently will to able'-’to hoM on until the next. general election. The Premier. Air. John Storey -"Honest John Storey.” a= Im is called —is 'liked' and re=nectcd by many who disagree with- his pohtics. he is .in a very frail state of health and at any t'me mnv Have to resign hre position. lrf , pn =e it is thought that th" scramble for leadership among the members of his own party may lead to ft split. Air. frigg. ■dates that there is a very general unamong business, people ,nn-l others whofhnve a stake m the counttv at the unsatisfactory condition of the finances both of the State Governmen and of the municipal government or Sydney. The citv hns a. Labour Lord Mavar (A’dermnn Lambert) and « L al? "' lr maiority of one in the council. _ .Jhe real- government Jn.-bo th cases v; ini the hands of the Ln tour, caucus. The Stnto Ministers and the Labour aidermen have fo do the bidding of the caucus For instance, when some new appointments were made tn the Legislative Council the other dav. the Labour caucus met ’n Parliament House aift decided, after fighting among themselves, who should be selected. It is true that Air. Storey, while accepting the nominations of the caucus, ventured to add some names on his own account, but this excited strong resentment and hitter criticism among the caucus. Air. Triggs'mentioned that t.t& Labour caucus even dictates to the Labour aldermen in regard to the acceptance of contracts, the action to be taken in retrard to hotels he'd under leans from the corporation and other matters of importance. Some of the decisions of the council thus dominated seem difficult of justification. Recently a writ for £60.000 was issued by a firm tractors for alleged breach of agreement in regard to'a contract which was given to anothe- firm after the matter.was referrod to the caucim. the middle-class party .in New South Wales has been very apathetic in politics, both State and municipal, but it is now evt dently alarmed at. the way in which things are drifting,' and Air. Triggs thinks it probable that there will be ft reaction as in Queensland. Tn A r ietoria the financial administration hns been more' careful and the state generally if in n moy.- solid rendition. The political situation in Victoria is .complicated by the existence of a Fanners .Party, which appears to be chiefly concerned about the maintenance of the ■'‘‘lpomDul'ory wheat poor The Premier having expressed himself against this, there was at. first- some wild talk in the Farmers’ Party nf combining with the Labour' Party to put the Goveminent out, but, wiser '■ counsels prevailed, and the Government, having agreed fo tb.i formation \of a voluntary wheat pool, will receive tlv. support ot the fanners.

Air. Triggs noticed some differences in parliamentary customs and procedure in Australia as compared with-- the practice in New Zealand. In the New South/ Wales Parliament both the President of the Council and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly wore full-bot-tomed wigs nt the» opening of Parliament, but n">t when presiding over’the respective Chambers. In Victoria, both these high officials -wore wigs during the performance of their duties. In the Victorian Assembly there is n mace which is borne before the Sneaker and placed on the; table when the Speaker is in the cßair, as in the House of Commons and in the New Zealand House of hn neither case are tho proceedings opened with praver. Mr. Triggs mentioned that both in Victoria and in New South Wales the members follow the House of Commons practice of saying “Hear! Hear!” when a Sneaker’s remarks call for their approval. The practice which has sprung up in New Zealand of clanpin? hands would be treated as highly disorderly, and members so far forgetting themselves would to at once called to order by the Speaker. Turning to other mattere, Air. Triggs stated that the financial pressure seem, rd to to lees severe in Australia than in New Zealand. The Australian farmers were, stated to to receiving about £40,(100,000 for wheat, and as their wool was mostly fine, it wns giving a much bgtter return than the New Zealand coarse wool., Priree in the Sydney shopsn.ppearcd to oe higher than in New Zealand except for men’s suits, notwithstanding a great parade of "selling off.” It was necessary to scrutinise quality verv closely, and Mr. Triggs had no hesitation in saying that more honesty wns shown towards customers in Now, Zealand than was the cnsn in a good many Sydney estab'lvhments.