BIG REDUCTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 57, 9 March 1931, Page 7

BIG REDUCTION.

LABOUR MAJORITY.

Nationalists Poll Strongly in

East Sydney.

gCULLIN'S TASK MADE HARDER.

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received 0.30 a.re.)

SYDNEY, this day,

Polling for the East Sydney byelection took place on Saturday. The result "<vas as follows:— j. J. Ward (Labour) 19,975 P T Courtenay (Nationalist) . 16.333 WA. Mountjoy (Communist) . 611 Informal LO6B Majority for Ward 3,642 Ths number of electors on the roll in East Sydney is 46,000. The former member, the late Mr. John won the seat for Labour at the 1929 elections by an overwhelming majority of 13,522 'votes. The Premier of New Sou J h Wales, Jlr Lang, in a statement, said the result of the contest was a message to all the Australian Governments that the people are determined that Australia s interests shall be served at all costs. Hr. Ward Lad won the seat in spite of unprecedented oppo:ition. The policy he had fought for must become Australia's policy if the nation was to avoid bankruptcy and degradation. Jlr. Ward also issued a statement. He said his success amounted to a vindication of Messrs. Lang and Beasley. Trades Hall officials regard Mr. Ward's victorv as a splendid achievement in view of all the circumstances. Mr. T. R. Bavin, Leader of the Opposition in New South Wales, expressed the opinion that the swing of labour votGs to the Nationalists was a definite condemnation of Mr. Lang's financial proposals. At the same time it was difficult to understand how anybody could be found to endorse such infamous and ruinous proposals. Federal Leaders' Comment. Commenting on the result, Mr. Scullin said it could not be regarded as a declaration by the electors of East Sydney in favour of repudiation, but rather as* a decision registered against the Nationalist party, particularly in view of the fact that a censure motion was launched against the La-bour Government and the boast made that the downfall of the Government was imminent.

"I am sure the overwhelming majority of supporters who voted for Mr. Ward >believe in Australia doing everything possible to honour her obligations."

Mr. Theodore said: "The result does Eot give a great deal of information to the principal parties concerned. It certainly does not throw much liglit on the solution of Australia's problems."

Mr. J. G. Latham (leader of the Opposition) said that the figures show that even in what was regarded as a safe Labour seat the policy of Mr. Lang is strongly opposed by a very large number of electors.

A special representative of the "Sun" at Canberra says the immediate result of the by-election must drive further into the Federal Labour party the wedge which already is splitting and disrupting it The problem now confronting the Prime Minister, Mr. Scullin, is whether to admit Mr. Ward into the counsels of his party when the caucus meets on Thursday, as Mr. Ward contested the teat on a policy entirely in conflict with that espoused by the Prime Minister.

If Mr. Ward is excluded it necessarily follows that Messrs. J. A. Beasley, J.

C. Eldridge, H. P. Lazzarini, J. P. D. Dunn and A. Rae must also remain outside the party, for they, too, are on the side of debt repudiation.

NO POSSIBILITY

WAR DEBT CANCELLATION,

(Received 12.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, this day,

The "Sydney Morning Herald' 5 says that the reports that Australia's war debts to Britain were likely to be cancelled were discounted in Canberra during the wa.'k-end. It was stated that there was no possibility of Australia's debts being cancelled, as the question of debts between tac Allied nations would be affected. It is understood, however, that the Commonwealth Government is hopeful that relief will be obtained for Australia by securing a modification or extension of the present terms of payment.