THE LANG PLAN

Hokitika Guardian, 16 January 1932, Page 7

THE LANG PLAN

j CANDIDATES HEAVILY DEFEATED SYDNEY MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. SYDNEY, Jan. 7. By crushingly defeating Lang Labour candidates at the municipal elections in and around Sydney on Saturday last, the electors have shown in no uncertain mannei', firstly, that they do not want the Lang Plan of repudiation and Government control of banking and money, and, secondly, that they do not want politics associated with' civic affairs. In the old councils, Labour held 109 seats; now it holds but 64, and has lost control of all but two councils. It is of importance to note that practically the whole of the official Labotiy candidates were nominees of the Lang faction, so they cannot claim on this occasion, as they did on the occasion of the Federal election, that the Labour vote was divided. What is more, the Labour Party made special efforts to sesure control of municipal affairs, realising that such a victory was necessary in the interests of Mr Lang and all he stands for. It is significant that the man who defeated Mr E. G. Theodore for his seat in the House of Representatives, was rejected in the same locality as an alderman. That in itself is evidence of tile bitterness that was aroused over the Federal elections —rue bitterness between one Labour faction and another.

BIG MAJORITIES DISAPPEAR

Many of thos’e Labour aldermen who have been djefeated had 'held seats for years, and it was anticipated that they were there for life. Year after year they have boasted huge majorities, but those majorities mis year were converted into minorities just as Remarkable. These must be anxious days indeed for Mr Lang, and it is not surprising that he and his followers should fear as much as they do i\n appeal to the people. It remains to he seen now whether Mr Lang will be able to go ahead with his Greater Sydney idea. Under this legislation, which the Upper House has yet to pass, the actual city area will absorb many of the surrounding municipalities —and municipalities that, in ordinary circumstances, could be depended upon to return Labour men. It is not likely now, that Mr Lang will be so keen on a Greater Sydney, for on last Saturday’s voting, Labour would not gain control of the council and the Harbour Board.

During the past three years' the State Labour Party has had control of ten of the councils near Sydney, so its wings have been severely clipped. Only two of the industrial areas—-Glebe and Paddingtoii—returned a _ full Labour Council, and it was surprising that so many of the other industrial localities refused to elect even ,one Labour tiktartnaUi In Waterloo, for instance, there win; eleven aldermen in the last Council. Now there are none, At Redfern, where Labour has held sway for years, there will be six Labour aldermen and six who are branded non-political. It is inevitable that the name of Redfern’s mayor will be drawn from the hat. The overwhelming defeat of the Lang Plan candidates at Bexley is reflected in a comparison with the votes polled by Labour in tbc same municipality three years ago, when Labour contested all nine seats. The votes for Labour men have dwindled from 1300 to 650, and the Lang Plan candidate who received most Labour votes last Saturday was 24th on the list of candidates. And after a special campaign! It is only a month since Labour was crushingly defeated at the municipal elections in the country towns and shires. The city elections should have been held at the same time, and it is difficult to see why they were postponed unless it was because Mr Lang foresaw what the results would be. He would have postponed the elections still further if there had not been a legislative check for such action.

If there had been legislative checks against Mr Lang in other directions. New South Wales might have been a happier State to-day than it is. The people, as a whole, are only waiting an oportunity to tell Mr Lang what they think of him, his Party, and his famous plan. ■