SENATE VOTE IN AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27036, 11 May 1953, Page 9

SENATE VOTE IN AUSTRALIA

Government Likely To Keep Control (NZ. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 10. The Menzies Government is expected to retain control of the Senate with its majority reduced from four to two. Yesterday’s Senate voting showed a swing to Labour in some states, but the key state, Queensland, saved the Government and the result appears to have been put beyond doubt. Labour’s gains in New South Wales and Victoria were appreciable. In the last Senate, the Government had a 32-28 majority. In the new house the Liberal-Country Party coalition is expected to have 32 seats to Labour’s 29.

Dramatic changes in the vital Queensland vote at times' during the night’s counting put the result in doubt. The early count showed a swing to Labour but later figures gave the Government lead with 47.49 per cent of the total against Labour’s 46.08 per cent.

However, returns from country districts in the next few days should put the Government team back in the lead. When all the primary votes are in it may be that the preferences of the Democratic Party—which has polled 5-17 per cent, of the total votes—will decide the issue.

In New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, Labour appears to have won three out of five seats. In Western Australia and Tasmania, where six Senators were to be elected because of two deaths, Labour has won three and the Government three. Yesterday’a election was for a total of 32 seats. Sixteen Government and 12 Labour Senators did not have to go to the polls. Of the 32 who did 17 Labour and 15 Liberal-Country Party men are likely to be returned. ' Probable returns for each State are:

LiberalCountry Labour Party New South Wales .. 3 2 Victoria .. 3 2 Queensland .. 2 3 South Australia ..3 2 Western Australia ..3 3 Tasmania .. 3. 3 The election is conducted under the proportional representation system, ana the final results will not be officially known for abbut three weeks, 117,000 Communist Votes At the close of counting early this morning the Liberal-Country Party had polled 1,694,188 votes. Labour 2,030,064, and the Communists 117,602. In addition about 67,000 votes had been cast for various small groups or ungrouped candidates. State totals were:— Lib.-Ctry. Lab. Comms. New South Wales .. 627.300 834,588 67,546 Victoria .. 502,700 587,125 38,051 Queensland 240,001 235,044 5,793 South Australia .. 160,499 197,310 4,085 Western Australia 108,543* 113,028 2,127 Tasmania .. 55,145 52,989 Communists polled more than 3 per cent, of the votes in both New South Wales and Victoria, but only the two main parties will elect Senators in any State. By retaining a majority in the Senate the Menzies Government will gain a breathing space of 13 months. House of Representatives elections have to be held next year, and will probably be it\ June. Mr Menzies and other Government leaders claimed before yesterday's election that they would be returned to office in 1?54 if they could avert a Senate deadlock. They base their claim on the belief that the Government’s economic policy will have fully justified itself by next year and will be approved by the electors. While many political observers do not share this optimism, the Senate voting indicates that the Government has passed the peak of its unpopularity. Control TUI 1956 The election will give the Government control of the Senate until 1956, unless there is a double dissolution or other change in the meantime. Yesterday was the first * time a Senate election had been held without an election for the House of Representatives at the same time. This was because the last General Elections were held after the double dissolution in April, 1951, and under the Constitution Senators’ terms dated from the previous July 1, but Representatives’ ternis are dated from the time of the election. Half of the Senate of 60 members

4nust go up for election every three years. The next Senate election will not be held until 1956. Mr Menzies declined to comment on the final figures for the night. The Leader of the Opposition, Dr. H. V. Evatt, said in Canberra that the progress of the count was a clear vote of censure on the Government. "Looking at the position as a whole, the vote for the Labour Party is a very satisfactory one,” he said. “The general trend of voting shows a clear majority in Australia in favour of the Labour Party which, transferred to the House of Representatives, would have resulted in a substantial victory for Labour.”

COUNTY MATCHES

„ L , , LONDON. May 8. County cricket results were as follows: Hampshire 290 and 213 (Lambert seven wickets for 73), and Gloucestershire 355 for nine declared (Emmett 120, Crapp 86; Shackleton six for 91) and 108 for eight (Cannings five for 48). The match was drawn. M.C.C. 150 (Alec Bedser four for 39) and 333 for nine declared (Sheppard 93. Insole 64) and Surrey 210 and 166. The M.C.C. won by 107 runs Middlesex 334 for eight declared (Robertson 110) and 258 for five declared (Brown 76. Edrich not out 64), and Cambridge 339 for four declared (Alexander 81, Subba-Row not out 84) and 254 for seven (Lumsden 68). Cambridge won by three wickets. Oxford 193 (Statham four for 47) and 330 for seven (Cowdrey 127. FellowesSmith 73). and Lancashire 402 for three declared (Washbrook 130). The match was drawn.

WICKET-KEEPER’S TEN CATCHES

. _ . LONDON, May 8. A. E. Wilson, the 40-year-old Gloucestershire wicketkeeper today established a record as the first wicketkeeper to take 10 catches in a first-class match. He held six *> 'Hampshire’s first innings and foul' more in the second. Eight other have claimed 10 or more victims in a match, but their successes uava included stumpings.