Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Wednesday 1 April 1903, page 10


STATE POLITICS.

DETECTION OF A MINISTERIALIST.

MR. EDEN GEORGE LEAVES THE

PARTY.

THE ADVOCATES REFORM.

of Coon George, AT L A , yesterday handed to the forpublicfction a copy of the following letter which he has forwarded to the State Premier. The letter explains reasons why Mr Eden George has ceased to be a Mr tust'1 nal supporter, and intends in future to advocate a policy of reform -

To the Hon the Premier Dear Sirs-I much regret to mJurmrou that Your Government can no longer rely on me as it follower, and in thus withdrawing me support, which has been HO consistently decorated in the punt, I think it is only due to myself that I should explain my reasons

for quite 18 months past have had grave misgivings as to whether our Government were not going too far in the matter of resumptions and expenditure and during the session before last, in operatic; upon the Estimates I gate sent to the misgivings and founded the note of warning You are also aware that on several (ECONOMY Iliade counselled us to introduce a policy of retrenchment and reform, but my opposition has been stayed until now, as I had hoped, with the extra revenue coming: from the Federal Government. Unit you, with your undoubted Anuncia! experience and wisdom, would only allow, the political coat to be cut according to the (hills I now have come definitely to the conclusion that this is not being done by the candid. do not think you are carrying enough command and control over your extravagant railway to the moan Minister of Works and works and resumptions may of been plunged into without the display of lourusuilpmdentncumcn astohowthej were going" to be paid for, and regarding of the consequences or the drought upon our revenue, until the Government find themselves in a financial mess, and it is useless for them to protest further to their supporters to the contrary as their actions of bluff etc to their creditors in order to di liv or evade pay rates is an ample proof to me of the trouble they are in, as witness the following

Uluttratious -

Borne 18 months ago your Government resumed often-save property for the purposes of the new railway station and its approaches Since then the business s people in the triangle resumed have been kept in state of chaos, and scarcely anyone butthoChurJi nuUionties have gained any settlement. As a matter of fact grossly unfair and reprehensible tactics are being resorted, to in order apparently to evade just compensation Pho first case I will quote is that of a small draper His father-in-law was the landlord, and consequently he had no food and u lease, though not actually possessing one Uho Government resume and he starts paying them 4 per week in lieu of his f father-in-law, the late owner After a r_Tif>d the Government gave him notice that his rent was to be raised to £5 per week, and this in the face of the great depression caused by the drought when scarcely HUT city businesses are paying and rents are being reduced However, the main parts the £5, although he had to make some retrench-ment in his household affairs in consequence of the state of his finances After paying an increased rental for a tuna he seen as a demand for what is termed arrears, being It per week coverings time before notice of revenue are given This claim was so pre-posterous that he diohncdto pay, and he is now served with a notice that unless the amount is paid notice to quit shall ICSUC Comment is needless been fine it is patent that an attempt is being made to compel charms to give up his business in a way that will destroy any claim he may 11 five for romps nation Then another case A professional man has been I recruiting in the same place for a number of years, and he has some nine years to run of a lease This man, whose premises are on land which "M ill be occupied by the new street, has been given to understand that he may get notice atom tune that the place will be pulled down within from two to four weeks, and while this is hanging over his head he dare not move if printable premises offer without this notice otherwise he would destroy his claim for compensation Lv er) one knows that it is difficult for a professional man to secure suitable promises and usually In moving he loves considerable pinetree, and to my knowledge this man recently lost an opportunity of securing mu tibia premises because he has not received timber to quit und M under a lease I could quote other Rises, all of which seem to prove that the Government are endeavouring to stunned the tenants of this resumed area with and without leases to quit without any compensation til it They may be justly entitled to

Your Gciverntncnt ham landed this State into tufa position The National I)Lbt has been increased since the ousting of the Held Oomnmicntbyovir £17,000,000. and, despite the desire of the public of coming to borrow and lands within our means we shall be forced to burrow in the early future Home £1,000,000 in order to complete the TCsurautions and works, so, that our Government have in hand and it is fully alarming to one that instead of view-ing the parent venture with the gravest concern (which it demands) and reassuring the public by starting to economise, we find the same extravagance going on. We find that octopus on the public finances the Public Works Com-mutes, investigating all kinds of work, that it will be im-possible to entertain for the next 10 years

The funeral comes my main rea win for withdrawing myfítiptiort; but I entertain i y serious objection! to the administration of the Labour Bureau The whole thing is a first and a gross absurdity as it is carried on U he camemissioners are no mortsfoin missions time I met ; they are simply servile servants of the Minister, and the only duly they are till owed to perform uutraimnUlcd is the compiling of useless statistics and writing reports on the labour market. They themselves complain of political interference, and as a matter of fact it in no wonder the work-men have become disgusted with the bureau and call for its abolishment. A man registering there has not a possible hope of getting work without political influence. The men are told to get a letter from their member, and my business in consequence of this became a perfect labour bureau, crowds of men of whom I knew nothing except my constituents waiting for me to yard them letter stating that it was a deserving case, see. I have now declined to pay any more tatura, na I consider it degrading to an M 1\ and degrading to the men to be placed in such an HUnecessary position, Burtly an M V. is elected for some better work than becomes a mere labour agent. I have repeatedly asked your Minister for Works to end this humbug by adopting the rotation system at the bureau, but all to no effect. My heart bleeds for the great distress existing in my electorate, and this fact that I have been unable to help them, and my only resource- is to turn from a Government who refuse my appeals to alter the system at the bureau, which is he degrading and disparaging to the

men in distress

I am also bitterly and uncompromisingly opposed to the present caucus party, and it has been evident for some time that your government seek too much to court its approval Your allowing two seats (I'yfmant and the late Sir. M'Tiitjro's) to go to them by default of running a GuMtramcnt candidate, and for refusing to speak out at Tamworth m Kimniftt of Mr Walsh in consistent supporter of j OUTS), while a labour candidate was in the field, No proof of this I applaud Mr T-itv, a true representative of

labour, for breaking away when he discovered the accursed methods of the caucus party,

The policy that I would wish to see adopted at present is thus 4. Reduction of members to not more than "8 (me though I would prefer only 50). on. Reform of the Upper House by mutiny Hil future appointments fourteen years only, with eligibility for renumeration St Abolishmost of the Public He mee Commissioners, which has out-lived its utility, and w making extravagant increases and appointments. 4 CmtailniPiit of a quarter of the useless matter printed and circulated from the Government Printing Office. 5 A th trough investigation of every service with a new to reform and retrenchment. G Cessaturned borrowing after the present works in hand and re-sumptions are completed, which should be accomplished gradually, 72 Devotion of the memo received from the Commonwealth for the purjKiJCMit works which were previoutilTpiid out of loans 8 Abolishment of the Labour Commisioners and Bureau, and the establish ment of it labour office, with three clerks to register and carry out the rotation system, with dismissal penalty for breaches, so as to prevent political patronage.

In conclusion, Sir John, permit me to say that my personal appreciation of your great abilities and your noble character has caused me to limber long before taking this step ; but my patriotism to my country was a. high sense of my sacred responsibility have- forced my hand in performing a duty the most unpleasjntthnt has occurred

during his lifetime

I am, yours fairly fully,

EDEN GEORGE.