Commonwealth Behind the League and Britait Trade Mission to India Frost Our Own Sydney, Nov. 8.
There has, of course, been considerable discussion in political circles as to the attitude this country would adopt in the event of the Imposition fof sanctions against Italy. Labour members have for several days past aegerted that Mr. Lyons, during his recent visit to the old country, committed Australia to war in the event of an outbreak of hostilities.
Mr. Lyons has replied tu these sus~ gestions by stating In the House "The only assurance that T gave to the British Government was that, so long as Its altitude towards peace con-Unued, T would guarantee that the Government and people of Australia would stand behind Eritain right up to the hill."
The general opinici. is that the Prime Minister's statement suffered from excessive restraint.
'That Australians have mo desire that the Empire should be concerned any direct national quarrel with Tialy' ts by now as plain as the same feeling In Britain, and that has been admirably stated and to the satisfac ton of the Ttalian Government. But there no longer can be any doubt that. inthe last resort the Australian Government will stand with Britain loyally by the League, and the Australian people will be heartily with it in doing 30, The Federal Labour faction's demand for "neutrality and non-partilpation" Is tantamount to a call for Australia's" withdrawal from the League, The speech of a Langist leader actually did demand with drawal, During the discussion a Government member asked what would happen to the Covenant Australia was being attacked. He said the could imagine with what clo~ quence the opposition would call upon the nations to protect Australia from the bully threatening her peace. market revealed that one serious drawback to the development trade with India was the absence of a direct shipping service, but recent~ ly the British India SRI. Ca. had decided to inaugurate' in January 1936, a direct service every two months between Australia and the Bay of Bengui, are required, carrying cargo for those destinations at direct rates of freight.
The delegation leaves Australia this month, and will be away for about three months, most of which ime will be spent_in India and adjacent countries. They will travel via Bay of Bengal ports to Calcutta and then will visit "Delhi, Bombay and Rangoon, Ata meeting of members of the! Federal Labour party, held last week, Mr. J, Curlin, member, for Free mantle, Western Australia, was elected leader of the party In succession to Mr. Scullin, who had resigned. owing to ill health.
Mr, Curtin said that he was enter~ ing upon his new office with a wholehearted determination to do everything humanly. possible to carry out worthily the tremendous responsibil lity. "It Team able in any way to approach the standards set by my Immediate predecessor, and by the earlier occupants of the office, I feel that T have done something to corn Honour in my country." Mr. Curtin one of Labour's most effective speakers. He was Australian dele-fate to the International Labour Conference at Geneva in 1024, and has hela several important posts
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.