MEANING OF WORDS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 23, 27 July 1945, Page 5

MEANING OF WORDS

"A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE"

CANBERRA, July 26. The Government's Bill to nationalise the inter-State air lines was described by Mr R G. Menzies in the House of Representatives as "gross violation of the election pledges given by the late Mr. Curtin." Mr Menzies, who resumed the debate on the second reading on the Air Lines Bill, said the measure was contrary to the result of the recent referendum, was not justified by the history of civil flying in Australia, and was likely to retard the development and the giving of effective service to the public. He recalled that at Perth m August, 1943, Mr. Curtin had said: "I say that my Government has not socialised any industry.' I say further that my Government will not, during the war, socialise any industry." This, said Mr. Menzies, was a promise made to non-Labour voters who did not believe in nationalisation, and undoubtedly it had secured the Labour Party many thousands of non-Labour votes. Replying later, the Minister for Post-war Reconstruction (Mr. Dedman) denied that the Government had broken Mr. Curtin's pledge. There was a world of difference between nationalisation and socialisation, he said, amid Opposition laughter.