MR LANG’S THUNDER

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12609, 20 November 1926, Page 5

MR LANG’S THUNDER

FAILED TO CONSULT CAUCUS!

PROCLAMATION SURPRISED PARTY REDISTRIBUTION OF SEATS By Telegraph.—Pre*s Assn.— Copyright. SYDNEY, November 19. It is understood that the political crisis was, to some extent, hastened by the Unexpected issue of a proclamation bringing into operation the Bill recently passed providing for single Parliamentary seats in place of the former proportional representation system. This step was taken after a meeting of the Executive Council and without consulting the Labour caucus which had anticipated thnt it would be given an opportunity of expressing its opinion on tho subject. Many members on both sides are opposed to the redistribution scheme, and the arbitrary assumption bv Air Lang of the powers conferred upon him at tho recent Australian Party Conference is strongly resented by some .members of bis party, including Mr P. F. Loughlin. “IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE” PROPOSED NEWSPAPER TAX COMMENT IN LONDON. Australian and N.Ti OM'.le As-ociation. LONDON, November 18. The “Evening Standard’’ declares that it is impossible to believe that Mr Lang’s halfpenny tax on periodicals would pass in. any Lnglish-spenk-ing-country. There never was a more convinced ' or determined agitation than thnt against the tax on knowledge which resulted in the abolition nf the newspaper tax in 1855. 1 resumably the proposal includes books, which should make the outcry all the greater in a country with a new and struggling literary class.