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Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1930, Page 4

Apparently polities lmve theii* pit*.falls for the unbalanced. Tile revela*-< tlona from Queensland do not make ploiiwmt (reading, An enquiry there reveals a sad story affecting prominent Labour leaders, and their downfall is now evidenced by Mr Theodore’s resignation at Federal Treasurer. Mr Theodore is credited with being a rational treasurer of marked'ability, but at a time when his country needed his services most, the Commission of Enquiry in regarrd to certain mining scandals in Queensland has found certain parties guilty of deplorable laxity, and two ex-Premiers of the State, Messrs McCormack and Theodore, are .veused of fraud and dishonesty. Mr Theodore had the opportunity to appear before the Commission but failed to do so. This, tl)>ugh bis reputation was at stake, suggests there was something to hide. His companions appeared and gave their explanation, and no doubt their association with Mr Theodore and the inter-relations of the parties, would be looked into closely. Mr Theodore now complains of partisanship in the enquiry, but the Premier of Queensland lias replied that i the complaints are without foundation. The situation is bad for Labour generally, and very unfortunate for Mr Rcullin, who evidently relied greatly on Mr Theodore in the attempt to rehabiPitate the finances of the Commonwealth. No doublt following the scandal in civic matters in Svdney which led to the Labour Council being superseded, this latest scandal will be bad for Labour in Australia generally. The disclosures are the most serious yet revealed, and must reflect on the party as a whole. The plight of Australia financially will not be assisted by the trouble, With a Labour Government in power directing Federal affairs, and Mr Theodore in charge of the finances, the revelations come at a very unfortunate time. Now that Mr Theodore has his official freedom and lias time to go fishing, he surely has time to get a little busy in the interests of the Labour party and take stops to clear bis good name of the ignomy which rests upon him, and which ho accepts, at least for the time being, by Iris resignation.