LANG ESCAPES DEFEAT

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12611, 23 November 1926, Page 7

LANG ESCAPES DEFEAT

CENSURE MOTION DEFEATED AFTER BITTER DEBATE WILL ASK FOR DISSOLUTION ON THIS CONDITION, MR LOUGHUN REFRAINED FROM VOTING Mr Lang escaped defeat when the division was taken on the no-confidence motion. Mr Loughlin, who might have defeated him, held his hand—on condition that the Premier asks for a dissolution.

Bv Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. SYDNEY, November 22. When the State Parliament met this morning, Mr T. R. Bavin, Leader of the Opposition, moved as a matter of urgency that the Standing Orders be suspended, to enable him to move his no-confidence motion. This was carried by 45 votes to 44. Messrs Lpuglilin, Goodin, and Gillies voting against the Government. NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION (Received November 22, 7.35 p.m.) Mr Bavin then moved: “That the House should record its disapproval of the Premier’s adherence to his public declaration that he was prepared to accept the dictation of an extra-Par-liamentary authority in the discharge of his public duties; that for fhis and other reasons the Premier dees not possess the confidence of the House.” Mr Bavin declared that the Administration had been brought to a level never before touched in the history of the State. Finances were in a hopeless state, and the railways were inextricably involved. Mr Lang had tried to subvert the Constitution of the State behind the backs of the people, and had even invoked the assistance of the Secretary of State for the Dominions in his efforts, and he had committed the unpardonable offence of heaping indignities on the head of the Governor. According to Mr Lang’s statement at a recent Labour conference, he and the Government were holding themselves responsible to an outside, nonelective body, which was the real Government of the State. This, declared Mr Bavin, was a complete abdication of the responsibilities of the Premiership. * THE PREMIER IN DEFENCE Mr Lang, in replying, defended the position regarding finances and railways.

With reference to the movement for the abolition of the Legislative Council, the Premier, “speaking honestly and with conviction,” declared before God that “he believed that bribery of the most corrupt and despicable kind had occurred to defeat his efforts fjar securing the abolition of that House.” Mr Lang added that if an opportunity remained he would insist on hia abolition proposals being nut through. He asserted that between himself and the Governor there had been nothing but the greatest courtesy. “SERVANT, NOT MASTER” Dealing with the charges that he had been acting as a dictator, Mr Lang said he was not ashamed of the Labour conference. He was the servant of the people, and not their master, and he had fearlessly endeavoured to carry out the pledges he had made on the platform. The Labour Party had fought the power of the Press and the machinations of their opponents in the face of almost insuperable odds. They were prepared to give up place and power before they would stoop to Conquer by dishonesty. Mr P. F. Loughlin said it was not his intention to give to the Nationalists what he proposed to take away from the Labour Party. He was unable to go to the country under a proportional electoral system, so he proposed to force a general election, and let the people decide. Mr Loughlin then attacked Mr Lang on the grounds cf his neglect of rural legislation, and said Mr Lang had .not been elected leader of the party bv a free vote of his followers. A free gathering of Caucus members meant nothing to Air Lang. There was no parallel between Mr Lang’s position and that of the leader of any other party in the world. It was unprecedented. f