ELECTIONS IN N.S.W.

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 70, 24 March 1938, Page 9

ELECTIONS IN N.S.W.

POLLING ON SATURDAY

MAIN PARTIES DIVIDED

LITTLE ENTHUSIASM

(United Press Association—rßy Electrte Telegraph—Copyright.)

SYDNEY, March 23.

The New South Wales elections, to be held on Saturday, have created little stir in the community. Even the opening speeches of .the leaders failed to arouse much enthusiasm.

The electors have the cholw of two main parties, Government and Labour, but inside these parties there are divisions. The Government Party comprises the United Australia Party and the United Country Party. Labour consists of the Australian Labour Party and the industrial, or "rebel," group.

Candidates numbering 191 have been nominated, for 90 seats, comprising 54 U.A.P., 30 U.C.F., 61 Labour, six Industrial Labour, 36 Independents, and four Communists. Nineteen candidates have been elected unopposed, which is a record. They include the Minister of Health, Mr. H. P. Fitzsimmons, and the Speaker, Mr. R. W. D. Weaver. There are no Labour candidates for 20 seats, and 12 seats will be contested by the rival Labour groups. The faction fight in the Labour ranks has added! interest to the campaign. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. J. T. Lang, is opposed at Auburn' by Mr. J. Hooke, a rebel, and the contest promises to be very close. WHIRLWIND CAMPAIGNING. Both the Premier, Mr. B. S. B. Stevens, and Mr. Lang have made whirlwind tours of the country electorates, and radio has played A prominent part, but the Lang group has suffered through the control of the Labour radio station and also the Labour newspaper being in the hands of the industrial group. The indications are that there will be little change in the State of parties in the new House, but Mr. Lang is hopeful that there will be a swing to Labour, especially in the country, basing this view on the results of the Federal election. Mr. Stevens has one opponent in his electorate (Croydon), but this candidate announced' his withdrawal too late to have his name deleted from the ballot paper, so the Premier's return is assured. . The hold of the Colonial Secretary, Captain F. A. Chaff ey, on Tarn worth is doubtful. His Labour opponent is putting up strong opposition. There is also more than a possibility that the Minister of Lands, Mr. C. A. Sinclair, will be defeated in Namoi by his Labour opponent, Mr. E. Hogan, in a straight-out contest. The other Ministers are likely to be returned. MINISTER'S STRUGGLE. The Minister who, is having the hardest struggle is Mr. E. S. Spooner in Ryde. He is Minister of Works and Local Government, and there is much opposition to what has been described as his dictatorial methods. His refusal to authorise .the construction of a railway in his own electorate has also brought him into disfavour with a section of his constituents. He has two opponents, a Labourite and an Independent. Both are suburban mayors.

Mr. Heffron, the leader of the industrial group, is confident of success and that Mr. Lang's influence in the State Labour movement will be' ended.