QUEENSLAND POLITICS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 242, 11 September 1929, Page 6

QUEENSLAND POLITICS.

After fourteen years of extravagant Labour administration with incursions into ruinous State Socialism and ruinous “enterprises,” resulting in heavy losses to the taxpayers, the people of Queensland are settling down under sweeping changes of administration resulting in rigid economies, Avliick are finding opposition only at the hands of the defeated Labour politicians. A Brisbane telegram, dated September 6th, stated that the Legislative Assembly Bill now before the Legislature, which proposes to reduce members’ salaries from £750 to £SOO per annum and Ministers’ salaries from £1250 to £IOOO, is being “hotly” opposed by Labour members. That was, of course, only to be expected. In his attack upon the Labour Administration during the election campaign, Mr Moore, the present Premier (a New Zealander by the way), included in his programme the repeal of what he described as “that unique piece of treachery known as ‘the salary grab’,’’ otherwise the increased payments to members of Parliament. He intimated that “he was askingfor a mandate to smash down the Socialistic obstacles that barred the road to Queensland’s progress.” The main features of-the policy Mr Moore outlined were “the restoration of sound finance, the restoration of the freehold in land settlement that Avas abolished in 1917; the removal of industrial laws and excessive regulation, most of which had been riveted upon industry bet-ween 1915 and 1920; the abolition of the rural award which was crippling the farming industry which owed its origin to an amendment in the Labour la-ws made by the Theodore Government; the removal of the railways from political control,” another danger to the State that marked practically the whole life oi the successive Labour Administrations, and rigid economy in the several departments of State. Mr McCormack (the Leader of the Labour Party) who had a following of 43 members out of the 72 comprising the Legislative Assembly, ivas heavily defeated at the elections, losing sixteen seats, including those held by three Cabinet Ministers, and thus his resignation became imperative. The Moore Government, on taking office, shoAved that it meant business and AA'as determined to stand by its election proposals by taking immediate action to suspend the Rural Workers’ AAvard, and to abolish the rule of compulsory unionism in the civil service. It, also, abolished the regulation under which Ministers received an allowane of £2 2s a day, in addition to expenses when out of Brisbane. It further associated the administration of main roads with the railways, so as to better co-ordinate the transport serA'ices. Under its wise administration It has succeeded in restoring confidence in the country, the resources of Avhich are practically illimitable, and it has done so with the minimum of industrial disturbance, the first real fig-lit it has had to encounter since the new- Assembly met in July being oA r er the “salary grab” already referred to.