"YES" VICTORY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 121, 25 May 1933, Page 11

"YES" VICTORY

N.S.W. REFERENDUM

BLOW TO LABOUR

REFORMED UPPER HOUSE

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, May IS. Tradition was thrown to the winds by the electors of Tscvr South Wales on Saturday last when a majority voted •'Yes" at a. referendum. As a result, the State is to have a reformed Legislative Council, and the death knell has boon sounded to the activities of such extremists as Mr. J, T. Lang. Nobody realises better than Mr. Lang and his followers that by this vote extreme Labour has been dealt the most severe blow in its history, and never again will he be able to do those things which brought the State so near to bankruptcy last year. Mr. Lang has often been regarded as a master tactician, but in this matter at least he Las beeu out-generalled all along the line. If ever he returns to power he will find the Upper House a stumbling block to his ambitions, and he will -never be able to alter its constitution without an appeal to the electors by way of a referendum, just as the present Government had to do. This is the, result of an amendment of the Constitution made by Mr. T. R. Bavin when, as Leader of the Nationalists, he was Premier. The Constitution has been tested in the Privy Council, and must stand for all time. In considering'that the majority for "Yes" was only about 2j,000 in a total vote of more than 1,250,000, it is essential to remember that the ■Reform Bill does not provide for an election of members of the Legislative Council by popular vote. New South- Wales electors were asked to vote for a reform which, after all, is merely a compromise. Actually they have voted deliberately for a personal sacrifice, and it is clear that they have been willing to limit their constitutional rights because it seemed necessary that they should" do so in the-interests of the country's credit and safety. There are many who insist that the principle of a nominee chamber is wrong, but even these admit, that the new House must be better than the discredited one it will replace. ISSUE NOT QUITE SIMPLE. 1 In the circumstances the issue was not so simple as might appear ou the surface, and the large vote for "No" did hot eo'me as a great surprise to a very large section of the people. Iti is noteworthy that of the 90 electorates 53 of them,, voted "Yes" and only 37 "No." Outside Sydney and Newcastle, the 'majority for "Yes" was about 65,000, but these figures are not quite complete. It has been «aid that the position- was saved by 'the loyalty of the country voters,'(but the fact must not be overlooked that of the 43 city electorates 20 voted "Yes." If the city had been less loyal the "Noes'' would have carried the day. There seems to be little justification, then, for the bitterness that has been worked up by certain country interests after examining the city vote. As a matter of fact, when the campaign started the country districts ' were not bubbling over with enthusiasm, as one might have expected. The leaders of.the various country movements saw a danger, They saw a Government so well entrenched that it might pay little heed to the demand for a division of the State in accordance with the dreams of some country politicians. Country , electors were even advised to vote "No," and it is clear thatmany of them did so, particularly in the Clarence' River district, where the influence of Dr. 'Earle Page, formerly Federal Treasurer, carried a greht deal of weight. In the circumstances it seemed unwise for one country leader to raise a country, versus city controversy in his review of the voting. Some day the division of the State into a. number.of smaller States may be the subject o£ another referendum, but it will not be curried. The "Little Staters" live in a fool's paradise if. they imagine that they will ever get their own way. ■ ' NEXT STEP IS ELECTION. The next step, after the Pieform Bill has received the Royal Assent, will be the election,of the new Upper House by the present members combined with the members of the Legislative Assembly. Hacli member ia entitled to propose or second twp members and the voting will proceed by secret ballot on,the proportional representation system. The total of all candidates, cannot exceed; 210, and 'if the voting- is 'carried' out strictly on partly lines, the. State .Labour. Party, the party led by Mr. Lang, cannot secure more than 20 members 'in the nek \ House. It 'may not secure more than 18. It will probably nominate 30, who will be selected by the famous Inner Group, at.the Trades Hall. Four ballots will be held in all. The 15 candidates receiving the highest number of votes at the first election will hold office for 12 years. Those elected at the second ballot will liold office for nine years, at the third ballot for six years, and at the fourth ballot for three years. An election for 15 members in the House of 60 will be held every three years. It is not regarded as specially significant that electorates now represented by anti-Labour members should have voted "No" afc the. referendum. This occurred in five city electorates, but it is pointed out that the personal element was lacking in the polling, and it is not thought that the voting indicated a swing against the Government. Taking into account' the .traditional.unwillingness.of the people to vote for any change in the. Constitution it is generally agreed that the Government's position hns been strengthened.