EMOTIONS CLASH

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1931, Page 3

EMOTIONS CLASH

MR LANG'S SPEECH AT SHOW

(Sydney Telegraph)

II ever there were a group of men torn between coiillicting emotions, those men were the army of primary producers, business men, and politicians who listened to Mr Lang's speech at the Sydney Show liiiiichoun recently.

Never did men struggle so valiantly to repress their real feelings. Here was a guest of the soi iety, and a prominent guest at that, breaking traditions by expounding the , most controversial matter imaginable. He was using arguments that DO per ceut. ot his listeners obviously regarded as doubtful. What, then, was to he done ? Where they to follow Show luncheon traditions by suffering in silence*, or were they to adopt political methods a till audibly register their disapproval ( It was a nice point-. How nice a point:, indeed, the array of faces showed. All shades of expression chased each other over those faces. Expectancy, surprise, Amusement, wrath, repression, and then a'niuseirtenl again, and then more expectancy and more wrath and repression—there was never sueli. a riot of expressions at a Show luncheon before. It, was all rather suggestive* of an orthodox churchcongregation being shocked by an ‘‘advanced” parson ! At times twitching lips failed to keep back the rumbles and growls gathering behind them. At times those rumbles swelled into words ol protest muttered, to ho. sure, hut none tne less fervent. And on one or two occasions the interjections .sounded n.s sharply, as though t-he scene were- the Legislative Assembly, When, tor example, Mr Lang declared that. the implied londition- of a contract were sometimes stronger than the written conditions, a voice rapped out: “I hen what's the use of a contract!”

MOW BELLIN' TOOK IT. ■Possibly the only faces that scarcely changed at all during the Premier's address were those ol the Governor--! ic.ncra.l, tin* Governor of New South M ales, and tin* Governor cl South Australia. Their control was masterly. The Prime Minister did not manage quite so well. He listened attentively enough, hut every now and then the grave Soullin-faco hardened into a frown and a hand was passed wearily over the hair that has grown- so grey of late-. Once or t:\vjc,, Mr Scullin smiled. He did so when Mr Lung mentioned his name and added as an aiterthought - •‘M.v friend.”

It is got too. much to say that Mr Scullin looked as though he would almost have surrendered the Prime Ministership for tl.upprivilege ot hinging 111 a few pertinent interjections while Mr Lang was speakhig. Paradoxically, he looked also as though he envied the impassive calm, of tip. leader of the Federal Opposition. Mr Latham, who, sitting near Mr Lang, was as unemotional as .though. In* wee hearing a verdict at a,criminal trial. For the rest. the speeches were all very interesting. Sir Isaac Isaacs ontimism was heartening; Sir Philip Game’s racy and sound little speech, as well ns tip. mail, himself, won rounds of cheers; and Mr Scullin’s patriotic and intelligent address had the lull sympathy of the audience. Sir Philip Game’s speech deserves attention, though, emphatically, not for the same reason, that prompts detailed notice of his Premier's speedi. [I was one of the hnpnFsl addresses that the Governor has made in Australia. Possibly the extremely cordial reception accorded his Excellency had some influence upon him. At any rate, he went along smoothilv and agrecnnlv. sandwiching congratulations with kindly philosophy and amusing jests. THE GOVERN'DR-’S WIT. Among other things. Sir Philip told the company that, while sympathising with their difficulties, he envied them their Jot. Farmers and sailors, he suggested, were the men who got closest nature, both in philosophy ami speech. All soldiers like hinisell. he added, looked forward to being farmers, and some* became farmers, much to the distress of their...hankers and of relatives with ‘‘expectations” ! Incidentally, the Governor related that a hardened Scot once,.assured him

that the land was like a woman—you fan food her and dross her nil yon

know, and at the* end she docs not look as well as she did at the start! (As no wives. were present, every farmer lii nil led heartily). But to return to .Mr Lang’s defenoc. of default. For all its emphasis, ■welling i,at. times to truculence, and for all its superficial championship of primary producers, it was merely like the weather outside, a near washout. One thing more. There was a vacant -hair ne->r Mr Tang’s. That had been intended for Mr Theodore. Think what the company missed hv the Federal Treasurer’s absence!