COMMONWEALTH CABLES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4, 3 September 1915, Page 2

COMMONWEALTH CABLES.

THE NORTON-GRIFFITHS SCHEME United Press Association. Sydney, September 2. In the Assembly, Mr Wade, speaking on the censure motion, said the agreement with Norton and Griffiths was unsatisfactory, and fraught with grave danger to the State. He pointed out that the contract was condemned two years ago, because supreme .control was given to the contractor to strike a blow vital to the principal of day labour. He referred to the absence of fair competition, and said that no limit was stipulated to the amount the company spent. There was no guarantee that the contracts would not be behind hand at the end of five years. He thought the proper thing the Government should have done was to have borrowed ten million over five years.

I Mr Holman replied\tliat in December last, twenty-three thousand men were dependant on public works. This fact, and the closing down of the Broken Hill mines, were clear indications of an impending industrial calamity. The necessity of the hour was continuity of work. There was an embargo on loans except lor war purposes of the Government. -'People lived literally from hand to mouth lor four months. The firm offered the only financial service possible to keep the workmen from starvation. There were good reasons for condemning the scheme, but there were better for applauding it. He would deplore the abandonment of the day labour principle, but accepted the lesser of two evils. The fact that the Government entered into the scheme in the face of serious Labour opposition ought to guarantee the honesty of the purpose. The motion was negatived by 37 to 28. SCENE IN WESTRALIAN ASSEMBLY. Perth, September 2. There was a scene in the Assembly to-day, Mr Johnson, Minister of Lands, in justifying the Government’s action in connection with the freezing works contract, attacked the newspaper West Australia and its criticism, referring to its leader writer as a “journalistic bloodhound.” At a later stage the Premier drew attention to a pote sent from the press, gallery to Mr Johnson, by the West Australia’s leader-writer, reading: “W. D. Johnson; you are doubly a miserable cur and liar, (signed) J. 0. Morrison.” On the motion of the Premier, seconded by the leadef~bf the Opposition, the House resoled that Morrison was guilty of contempt, and that he be excluded from the gallery until he withdraws or apologises.