EVATT’S WIN

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27637, 19 April 1955, Page 13

EVATT’S WIN

Confirmation As Leader (WZ Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) CANBERRA, April 18. The Federal Labour Party Leader, Dr. H. V. Evatt, dramatically resigned as leader at a party meeting today, but was later re-elected in - a secret ballot by 52 votes to 27. The deputy leader, Mr Arthur Calwell, got 22 and Mr Thomas Burke, a Right-wing backbencher from Western Australia, got five of the 27 votes cast against Dr. Evatt. Dr Evatt commented to newspaper men during an adjournment: “That’s the third time I have been elected in 12 months.” Soon after the party met for the first time since Parliament went into recess, Mr Percy Clarey, who is a member of the executive, submitted a motion expressing complete confidence in Dr. F.vatt’s leadership. The debate had not gone far before Dr. Evatt created a sensation by announcing that he would resign the leadership with the object of holding a new election for the post and that he would be a candidate for it. A secret ballot would not have been taken had the party meeting put Mr Clarey’s motion to the vote. What was surprising in Dr. Evatt’s announcement was that his opponents in the party had contended that his main effort has been to avoid a secret ballot, in which, they contended, he would have been ousted from the leadership. “I can lead the party in the House tomorrow as leader with this recent mandate,” Dr. Evatt said.

Dr. Evatt’s re-election still leaves a split in the caucus and the breakaway group of Labour members expelled from the official Labour movement are seeking recognition as a separate party. There will be further developments on Thursday at a routine meeting of caucus when a motion by the New South Wales Left Wing member, Mr Edward Whitlam, will be submitted declaring vacant all party positions with the exception of that of leader. This would involve the position of Mr Calwell.