LABOUR POLITICS IN N.S.W.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1926, Page 9

LABOUR POLITICS IN N.S.W.

PARTY EXPRESSES CONFIDENCE IN MR. LANG IMPORTED GOVERNORS AND UPPER HOUSE TO GO DOWNING STREET’S VIEW OF GOVERNORS’ POWERS The State Conference of the Australian Labour Party has expressed its confidence in Mr. Lang, the State Premier, as the leader of the party and given him authority to take any action against malcontents whose actions may militate against the unity of the party. Mr. Lang indicated that if the party continued in power, it would abolish the appointment of Governors from Home, and the Legislative Council. The position taken up by the British Secretary for the Dominions in regard to the powers of Governors is the subject of a report by the New South Wales Attorney-General.

By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Sydney, Nov. 13. The Australian Labour Party carried by 274 votes to 4 a motion that the conference has complete confidence in Mr. Lang as a leader, and confirmed him in the leadership of the Parliamentary Laho"r Party for the period of the present Parliament. Further, that as unity is essential to the successful “arrying on of the platform and the policy of the Labour Party, the Prime Minister be authorised, in the event of circumstances arising which, 'in his opinion, might imperil that unity, to do all things and exercise such powers as he deems necessary iu the interests of the party. LABOUR PARTY’S POLICY. Speaking at tb'e opening session of the Labour Party conference, Mr. Lang said that if it continued to receive the confidence of the people the Government would not only remove the nominee chamber, but also imported Governors would become a thing of the past Both belonged, to a bygone age; both were relics of a system utterly incompatible with democratic institutions. The fight was on, and it was going tc, be a fight to a finish. The abolition of the Council was a plank iu the Labour platform which too long had been left in abeyance. He was convinced that it was much nearer realisatidn to-day than it ever had been.

Referring to the rejection of a clause in the Fire Brigades Bill by the Legislative Council, Mr. Lang said that it was not really a defeat of the Government at all. It was merely the capitalists in the nominee chamber giving the public demonstration of how they could protect their pockets and frustrate the Government’s intentions. Mr. Bavin, having failed in the representative chamber to reduce the contributions by fire insurance companies towards the maintenance of fire brigades, naturally turned his attention to his friends in the nominee chamber and, his Nationalist friends being largely insurance company directors and shareholders, were not slow to act. The result was the defeat of the Government measure and the necessity for recommittal of the Bill and a renewal of the fight to get the will of the people’s chamber put into effect. POWERS OF A GOVERNOR. In his official report of his visit to London in connection with the difference between the Ministry ana the Govenor, the Attorney-General, Mr. MeTiernan, says he made it clear to Mr. Amery that he had not come to ask him to abolish the Legislative Council. They agreed it was not for Mr. Amery to say whether or not the Council should be abolished. In Mr. McTiernan’s opinion, the Governor’s attitude was destructive to the principles of self-government. Mr. MeTieruan contended that the clause in the Govenor’s instructions empowering him to dissent from the advice of his Ministers, if he believed there was sufficient cause, was an accidental survival from early times. He strongly represented to Mr. Amery that the constitutional documents issued by hie office should be recast to make them accord with modem constitutional practices. Mr. Amery replied that, as this clause appears in the Royal instructions to Governors of all the Australian States and in the instructions to all other selfgoverning parts of the Empire, he feared

the proposal for an alteration was which could hardly be considered with exclusive preference to the State of New South Wales. Mr. Amery further said that he did not feel qualified or willing to express an opinion ae to the powers to be exercised by a Governor. Mr. Mc’Tiernan holds the view that the only possible inference to be drawn from Mr. Amery’oe statement is that a Governor should accept the advice ot his Ministers and recommends that the opinion of the Legislative Assembly should be sought and cabled to Mr Amery. Received Nov. 14, 5.5 p.m. Sydney, Nov. 14.

The Labour Conference discussed at length the question of State Governors and passed a series of resolutions to the effect: (I) that this conference strongly protests against the action of the Governor in reviving Crown Colony methods in this State by refusing to permit his Ministers’ advice to prevail over hie own opinions, and deploring that his attitude should result in aid being given to the anti-I/.bour majority in the Legislative Council in their war against the Labour Government in the interests of the money powers of the State. (2) That the Labour movement stands for the supremacy of the elected representative of the people and this conference will not tolerate the violation of the constitution by the exercise of autocratic powers and personal veto by a Governor appointed from abroad, who comes as a stranger and remains for only a few years. (3) That the condition of affairs in which a Governor dominates the elected chamber and the Government, is diametrically opposed to the ideals and practice of our educated democracy, and the constitutional practice of the State, which has marched ahead of the autocratic methods of the qld colonial days. (4) That the Labour movement in New South Wales expresses its emphatic opinion that the Australian people do not need the presence of six State Gov ernois who are claimed by the National Party to be vested with personal power not exercised or claimed by the King himself In Great Britain. (5) That this conference declares that the Gov-ernor-General adequately represents the Imperial connection, and that State Governors are superfluous. (6) We further affirm own determination to maintain the rights of the people to govern themselves without interference from a Governor who whenever he obstructs the Government of the day deliberately becomes the instrument of the Opposition and usurps a power not exercised by any other Governor in Australia. The resolutions were carried unanimously. CHINESE HOURS OF WORK. The Government is attempting, by the Factories and Shops Amendment Bill, nt present before the Assembly, to govern the hours and conditions of Chinese furniture workers. Opposition members vainly protested against the Chinese not being allowed to work after 5 o’clock in the afternoon and on Saturdays, and prohibiting Chinese sleeping on the factory premises, when none of these provisions applied to Europeans. The Minister of Labour strongly defended the provisions. He said he had acted on the reports of inspectors, which showed that Chinese were working 12 to 14 hours daily. Cabinet-makers told him they 'had been harassed by unfair Chinese competition.