FOR SECESSION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 153, 10 April 1933, Page 5

FOR SECESSION

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN POLL. BIG MAJORITY IN FAVOUR. VOTING 69,930 TO 36,933. SPONSORS DEFEATED AT POLLS. (United Press Association—Copyright). (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) PERTH, April 9. The voting on the question of the secession of Western Australia from the Federation yesterday resulted in a two to one majority in favour of secession. The voting was: For Secession .... 69,930 Against Secession . . 36,933 The voting on the question of holding a convention to consider alteration of the constitution of the Commonwealth was:— For Convention ... 42,475 Against Convention 56,228 On the other hand the Nationalist Party ] -which led the secession campaign, was defeated and the Labour Party was returned to power with a substantial majority. : ; LABOUR VICTORY. A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY. (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) PERTH, This Day. The Western Australian general elections, which were held on Saturday resulted in the -return of the Labour Party to power. The state of the parties is as follows :• — ( Labour ........ 30 Nationalists ..... 8 Country Party .... 12., Sir James Mitchell (the Premier) was defeated after having been 28. years in Parliament as representative of Northam. Mr Scadden (Minister of Mines) was defeated at Maylands. The Country Party remains unchanged in strength. The Attorney-General, Mr H. b. W. Parker, is defeated. The Labour candidate, Mr Needham, won Perth from the Nationalist, Mr H. W. Mann. The state of the parties in the last Parliament was:— United Australia Party . . 13 United Country Party ... 12 Labour • • • • 24 The two first parties formed a coalition. VOTE HAS NO LEGAL EFFECT. EXPRESSION OF OPINION ONLY. (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) PERTH, This Day. Sir Harrison Moore, the Commonwealth Constitutional authority, points out that* he vote for. secession has no legal effect, but standy only as an expression of opinion. PRIME MINISTER'S REGRETS. PERTH, April 9. The Federal Prime Minister, Mir J. H. Lyons, expressed disappointment of the result of the referendum. The people, he said, declined to listen to reason and were determined to vent their feelin"- on the Eastern States. A convention 1 'would be held nevertheless, to consider the best means of helping the various States. Western Australia s part in the convention would depend upon herself.