LABOR’S WAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1922, Page 5

LABOR’S WAYS.

CORRUPTION ALLEGED. POLITICIAN’S ATTACK, CHARGES OF SOVIETISM, By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Melbourne, July 7. In the House of Representatives, Mr. Gatts attacked the Labor Party administration, alleging widespread corruption in the movement and demanding a publie enquiry. These allegations referred to the New South Wales Tabor Party, and covered charges of corrupt balloting, the engineering of Soviet propaganda, utilising corrupt money for electioneering purposes, packing Labor conferences, maladministration of funds, and others equally wide-reaching. Mr. Catts declared that, for the past seven years, the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales had been controlled by the manipulation of the machinery and funds of the central branch of the Australian Workers’ Union. He contended that a searching inquiry was imperative in the public interest. Mr. Lambert, ex-Lord Mayor of Sydney. and ex-secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union, whose name was mentioned by Mr. Catts in connection with some of the charges, replying, declared himself shocked at the extraordinary statements and accusations made by Mr. Catts under Parliamentary privilege. There was not an atom of truth in any of the statements. They were untruthful and unfair and made by a disgruntled man, whom he charged with becoming disloyal to the Labor Party when his ambitions were not fulfilled. Mr. Lambert traversed, explained and categorically denied various statements. The matter then dropped. DENI AL OF CHARGES. BOOKS AUDITED ANNUALLY. Received July 7, 11.50 p.m. Sydney, July 7. Mr. Bailey, a member of the Assembly, and the president of the central branch of the Australian Workers’ Union, categorically denies the accusations made by Mr. vatts in the House of Representatives. He adds that the books of the union are audited annually by the best auditors in Sydney. Never a penny of the union or Labor Party funds is spent except in accordance with the rules and constitutions. Other Labor officials describe the attack as emanating from a coward’s castle and say it would not be made outside Parliament.