AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

Auckland Star, Issue 111, 13 May 1935, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

Neither of the Australian State elections on Saturday was expected to produce a surprise, and neither has. In Queensland, Labour is better led than in New South Wales. Mr. Forgan Smith enjoys the personal respect of members of all political parties, and- he has been able to win a notable victory on the basis of a sound record while in office. Both State Governments seem to have profited by the decision to hold their elections on the same day, and Queensland especially, because the New South Wales Langites have been kept too busy in their own State to offer "help" over the border. Help from Mr. Lang is like sand in the works to moderate Labour. Queensland, under Labour rule, has been treading a path between economy' and expansion, which is much the same as N.S.W. has done on a larger scale. Queensland has come within half a million of a balanced Budget, has successfully raised £2,500,000 for unemployed schemes, and has arranged to spend more than four millions of loan money this year. Unemployment has fallen from 19 to 9 per cent during the Government's term of office, and the people have, been promised reductions in taxation. With a majority of nearly three to one in the new House, < Mr. Forgan Smith will be in a segure position to continue the work of reconstruction. The verdict in N.S.W. endorses a policy which has brought the State through a trying time. Three years ago Mr. Stevens inherited from the Lang regime an aggregate deficit of £22,890,000 in the Treasury. This he has reduced to less than £3,000,000, at the same time making concessions in taxes and in other ways to a total of £12,500,000, and reducing unemployment to manageable limits by spending £20,000,000 on public works. Confidence has been restored, and with it lias come a transformation in the business,

industrial and rural life of the State. It would be a mistake, however, to imagine that N.S.W. is through all its troubles, and in the

moment of victory the Government of Mr. Stevens may pause to reflect upon

its responsibility. It is pledged to continue water storage, power and irrigation schemes, to set up a compulsory pool for wheatgrowers, to give financial relief to needy farmers, to devise a better organisation for

the i'ruit industry, and to exploit further the State's mineral resources. Further, it has undertaken to extend all the existing social services, to examine schemes of unemploy-

ment insurance, to develop an adequate network of aerodromes, and to legislate for the control of chain stores. And while setting about these tasks it will be expected to make fresh concessions in taxation. It is a big programme, and Mr. Stevens will have a busy time ahead-