STATE & INDUSTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 November 1943, Page 3

STATE & INDUSTRY

POSITION IN AUSTRALIA FEDERAL PRIME MINISTER’S HINT (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, November 25. The Commonwealth Government may engage in industrial activities after the war in competition with private enterprise, says the political correspondent of the “Sydney Telegraph.” This was hinted at by the Prime Minister, Mr Curtin, when he indicated that the Government would seek the constitutional powers necessary to do this by including a question on Commonwealth trade in the referendum which will probably be held next year. • The Prime Minister said the Government had about £130,000,000 of public money invested in munition factories. When the war ended these assets would be lost completely to the nation unless they were converted to the manufacture of peace time goods. Before this could be done the Commonwealth Government must be given wider post-war powers. Mr Curtin’s statement was made on the first anniversary of the constitutional convention, when delegates representing all State Parliaments agreed to transfer the necessary post-war powers to the Commonwealth Government by voluntary legislation. However, some State Parliaments have since declined to honour their delegates’ undertakings, and it is believed a nation-wide referendum must be held to settle the matter.