GOVERNMENT WINS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 179, 13 May 1935, Page 5

GOVERNMENT WINS

NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTIONS.

LOSSES LESS THAN EXPECTED.

LANG LABOUR GAINS SLIGHTLY.

BOUT OF THE COMMUNISTS

(United Press Association—Cepyright) SYDNEY, May 12.

The New South Wales general election fully realised the hopes of the majority of the supporters of the Stephens Government, who had anticipated the loss of "marginal" seats will not be so great as many Government supporters anticipated. The outcome of the polling is that the Government parties have been returned with a majority falling not sa far short of their unprecedented majority in the last Parliament.

The United Australia Party, with 34 seats, and the United Country Party, with 23, seem assured of 57 seats in the new Legislative Assembly; (and the Lang Labour Party appears to have won 28 seats.

The issue in five electorates is doubtful.

The former Lang Ministers, Messrs Ely and Dunn, who were defeated at the election in 1932, are likely to regain the Granville and Mudgee seats respectively. The Centre Party, led by Colonel Eric Campbell, fared badly and Colonel Campbell was defeated in a straightout contest with the Minister of health, Mr Fitzsimmons, by 10,000 votes; another Centre Party candidate was defeated by 9000 votes, and the Votes cast for the two remaining Centre Party aspirants were so negligible that they are certain to lose their deposits. All three Douglas Social Credit candidates are likely to lose their deposits. Federal Labour candidates failed to win a single seat and 12 of them are. likely to lose their deposits. The Federal Labour leader, Mr J. B. Chifley, polled well in a straight-out contest with Mr J. T. Lang in Auburn, where the State Labour leader was returned with a majority of a little over 2000. The Premier (Mr B. S. B. Stevens) has an absolute majority of oyer 4000 against State Labour and Douglas Credit candidates in his electorate, Croydon. ; . The Deputy-Premier, Lieut.-Loionel Bruxner, was returned unopposed, and all other Ministers were re-elected with substantial majorities. As anticipated, the Lang Labour Party retained all the seats it held in the last Parliament and it is; noteworthy that it was successful in all cases in which it conducted straightout contests with Federal Labour candidates. Two of the seats still in doubt were prior to 1932 held by Lang Ministers who were defeated that year. Mr Gosling was the only other of Mr Lang's defeated lieutenants to recontest his seat, but he lost further ground in his electorate of Kogarah, where the U.A.P. man has a comfortable majority. Mr Stevens, in a broadcast comment, said the United Parties had an excel* lent working majority. The poll was capable of only one. interpretation, namely, approval of the Government-s policy in the last few years and the policy that it, contemplated for the future. Cabinet, he,said, accepted this verdict as a trust which would not be betrayed. Lieut.-Colonel Bruxner, supporting Mr Stevens, said he regarded the result less as a great victory than as a great responsibility. Mr J. T. Lang said there had been a swing to Labour and, although it was not enough to defeat the Government, it indicated the trend of events. Had the campaign gone on for another fortnight he was confident that his party would have sprung a surprise. All Communist candidates except one will lose their deposits.

LABOUR VICTORY.

THE QUEENSLAND ELECTION. GOVERNMENT PARTY GAINS. BRISBANE, May 11. The Queensland State elections were held to-day and by midnight it was shown that the Labour Government had gained no fewer than six seats, among which, in the Metropolitan area, Messrs Logan (Sandgate), Windsor (Wynnum) and Power (Baroona) gained easy victories. The following Ministers were returned unopposed: Mr F. W. Bulcock ' (Barcoo), Minister for Agriculture; Mr F M Hanlon (Ithaca), Home Secretary, Mr G. Pollock (Speaker); and ' Mr' W. Mullen (Carpentaria), Attorney General. . • 1 One of the biggest surprises was the i victory of Mr Brown (Labour) over Mr R M. King for the i.ogan seat. Mr A. E. Moore (Leader of the Opposition) was returned unopposed. The polling was hailed as a triumph for the moderate Labour element, which is likely to occupy 45 seats, with the remaining 17 going to the Country Party and the Progressive National- ' ists. ' The independents lost their one seat in the House. Labour did not lose a single seat and it is conservatively estimated that it will win 12—possibly two more—givino- the party a 47 to 15 majority.. Although Douglas Social Credit cani didates polled better than in New • South Wales, they are unable to win a seat. Communists polled very poorly and.

the majority seem certain to lose their deposits. Mr R. M. King (deputy-Leader of the Opposition), is among the vanquished, after representing Logan for 15 years. The Premier (Mr Forgan Smith), after the election, stated that the Government's victory would go down as one of the most outstanding in the annals of the State. The large majority would enable the 'Government to proceed with its colossal, but not insuperable task of restoring the State to its former prosperity. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Arthur Moore), said he could only accept the position with fortitude. "Though our numbers are depleted, we represent a large section of the community and we must endeaour by our work to win back confidence," he said.

"SANE GOVERNMENT."

FEDERAL PREMIER PLEASED

DUBLIN, May 11

The Australian Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons), commenting on the results of the State elections, ssrW: "It is needless for me to say how glad I am at the result, which once again assures New South Wales of a sound, sane, progressive Government." j