A PRESS OPINION

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1932, Page 3

A PRESS OPINION

OX X.S.W. POLLING. VINDICATION OF GOVERNOR •SYDNEY, June .14. New South Wales electors have myck a clean sweep of the mixture of muddle,' lii&honesty and Socialist tyranny known,, r Lang: sin. This decisive result, wil-j be hailed with relief and act as a tonic, I not only in State and Commonwcaa: but throughout the Empire. It is moreover, a victory for democracy that tlw Lang pest has been eradicated by '■'institution,■,] means, ’Plan;. for,,sececj siou ? political and violence, can j,e set asiue. "'(lie regj .. rehe/s, who defied the law and practised repud iation and default, have been crushec by the power of the people exercised; peacefully at the ballot-box. One of the mo t gratifying mule, ir. a constitutional sense, most important effects rests in the complete vindication of the Governor’s action. Sjr Philip Game is said to hav e tUsiiFsied the bang Government but, in effect, (. it was merely suspended pending an expression of the people’s will. In.,a-.de-mocracy it is th e people who are sfivercicrn. Heel, the Sectors chosen to- re . I call Mr Lang, the Governor could not I have denied them. But the result shoivs that Sir. Philip Game gauged ..tinelectorate. better than the ex-Prcmier. The latter had gone far beyond, ui< mandate and even presumed to break the law. It was on this last ■ defiance that Die Governor acted—actiofi that was completely ratified by the peopl/' on Saturday, comments the- Dominion;'"

Although Mr Stevens has been strongly confirmed in office, the new Premier is faced with an 'appalling- task. As' a sequel to • Labour misrule and extravagance, lie finds the State debilitated, denuded of capital, with industry depressed and heavy unemployment. Although the majority of the people have radied to his honest appeal for unify in remedial action, there remains a disaffected, sullen and unscrupuloio nvnority to be reckoned with. High offices are filled with ini competent place-seekers from the Trades Hall. The Government Savings Bank has been lost as a Stateasset, the Treasury is empty, there i-'-deficit in the current year of £1.1,70.0,000 (Mr Lang’s estimate waff. £6,.-. 000,000), arrears of -interest l}iave i( ..fco bo made good,, ,a maturing loan has, to, be provided for in November.

•Mr 55<evens- will -Is*' b« d'ni°ndent.on; the continued goodwill of the Country. Party. .The- electors’ verdict h-s. . bprjt.. so unequivocal for iinitv, howe v er v that, this prove a. difficulty.,, Moreover t,hp Premier wid be -strongly,, reinforced ,bv the Commonwealth. V i.tb the exception of Queensland, which ap-. pears to have returned a. ho-tde Labour Government, filie whole, of Australia I. now iu line to • achieve budgetary equilibrium,-; and economic rehabilitation- through v the may require; as,long and a strong pull but Jt will' be- a pull together, :-:f-or Queensland’s dissent Is a small matter) compared with the assent o.f 1 lew * South'Wales. The Commonwealth has now a good figliting“'cha.hce S:: *#vll' r Afistra , ian? have no need to prove their worth a>; right’er-s. -"' ! ■ .

How is it tibat the natibbhl n%Ve"for •political unity and honed. finaflce, - Regh-r at the Federal elections in PecpVnh•incl continued ! by A ictoria hind' ' 'New South Wales, has been' reversed'' in Queensland? The last-named "seems likely to become th<* only jState pulling against the genera! will. For th e ody surviving Labour Government, in Soul)' Australia, pursues -a moderate programmo and lias adhered to the Premier. -

Plan. Actually South AustralhT.s fi”ancei- are expected to show q di.’ftci; soiu-e £200,000 less than avowed for. I*l Queensland. however, the Moor -- Government is -suffering for Hi? site of its Labour predecessors. It had to introduce and bear the popular odium of stringent reforms following upon the Labour Administrations of -Mr Theodor and Mr McCormack. The defeat o ( the Moore. Government was therefor widely anticipated. It wa-- assisted by the universal tendency to blame Govern, merits for the depression, by the nor; mal swing of j;he political pc dulmii.. ,find by till' confusion of issues raise'/ by minor parties at-Saturday's elections.-.. Despite this local reverse. Austral,” will this morning lie fe.sdng. 11. pt eor,.. tident six’f again, ready .to • set aboiij her business. She has rid herself of t. blight that menaced present and future;: Stains are left she cannot rub out but she has already ri-e-n enormously it her own and in the world's estimation. That is going to help her and i:v am everybody a great deal. For many clour trouble-®- -hav e a psychological cause lack of confidence —and it i- a substantial victory over depressive influences that Australia has regained her .soul and can -set about re-establishing her credit.