Australia’s Verdict

Evening Star, Issue 20981, 21 December 1931, Page 7

Australia’s Verdict

Against the Scullin Government 1 Labour Decisively Beaten Several Ministers Lose Their Seats <4 / Mr Theodore Among the Fallen ' \ On Saturday a General Election was held for the Federal House of Representatives. The verdict of the people was emphatic, and resulted in the downfall of the Scullin Government. Several Ministers were defeated, including Mr E. G. - Theodore, the Federal Treasurer, who announces that he intends forsaking politics. Mr Stanley Bruce, a former Prime Minister, who-lost his seat at the last election, was .returned, by a huge majority. It is clear that the combined antiLabour forces will have a commanding majority in the new House. '

HEAVY POLLING NO DISTURBING INCIDENTS SYDNEY, December 19. Favoured with fine, though . dull, weather locally, the polling was heavy, but it passed without incident. The .returns from West Australia and some ■ New South Wales and • Queensland electorate are most difficult to obtain, as the localities are so scattered. Of those practically complete some remain doubtful, because the country votes and the distribution of preferences may affect the final placings. In one or two seats also, though it is plain which ' party will win the seat, the actual candidate to occupy it is not clear. The position in the House, summarised, when counting ceased, was that the Government had only fourteen definite followers of its own party, and that the Lang Planners numbered ten, all of - Sydney or its vicinity. The United Australia and United Country Parties nilister forty-five, and'six seats are doubtful. The States’ results would appear to be: — NEW SOUTH WALES FEDERAL LABOUR ... 3 LANGITES 10 UNITED AUSTRALIA ... 8 COUNTRY 7 DOUBTFUL ... 0 VICTORIA FEDERAL LABOUR ... 4 LANGITES 0 UNITED AUSTRALIA ... 11 COUNTRY 4 DOUBTFUL ... 1 SOUTH AUSTRALIA FEDERAL LABOUR ... 2 ■ • LANGITES 0 UNITED AUSTRALIA ... 4 COUNTRY 0 DOUBTFUL 1 QUEENSLAND FEDERAL, LABOUR ... 5 LANGITES ... 0 UNITED AUSTRALIA ... 3 COUNTRY ... I - DOUBTFUL 1 WEST AUSTRALIA FEDERAL LABOUR ... 0 LANGITES ... 0 UNITED AUSTRALIA ... 0 COUNTRY ... ). 2 DOUBTFUL 3 TASMANIA FEDERAL LABOUR ... 0 LANGITES 0 UNITED AUSTRALIA ... 5 1 COUNTRY 0 DOUBTFUL ... 0 LATER RETURNS / ' SYDNEY-, December 20. Additional returns received to-night from all States slightly strengthen the anti-Labour position. The state of the parties now appears to be:— Scuilin-Lr.bour ... 12 Beasley-Langite Labour 5 United Australia 32 United Country 14 Independent 2 Doubtful 10 Of the doubtful seats the BeasleyLangites will probably secure four at the, expense of the Government, all in New South Wales. The remainder will probably be won by the United Parties, who already have 46 seats in a Houso of 75/, HOW THE VOTES WERE CAST SYDNEY, December 21. (Received December 21, at noon.) When counting ceased last night the total of the votes for each party was: United Australia Party ... 1,226,504 United Country Party ... 315,207 Federal Labour 732,679 Beasley Labour 302,679 Independents 141,451 Communists 7,868 HEW SOUTH WALES SEATS In New South Wales the Government retained Darling (unless the second preferences depart 1 from the. plan) and Newcastle. The Langites won | Barton, where Mr J. ,C. Eldridge, who

had deserted Martiu, defeated the sitting candidate, Mr J, T. Tally. Dailey was taken by Mr J. S. Rosevear (State Labour) from Mr Theodore. Cook was taken by J. S. Garden from a Ministerialist, Mr E. C. Riley, though preferences may possibly upset the position. The Lang seat was won by Mr D. Mulcahey from the Scullinite, Mr W. J. Long. Reid was won by Mr J. H. Gander from a Ministerialist, Mr P. E. Coleman. In South Sydney Mr J. Stewart seems to have the Government supporter, Mr E. Riley, beaten. East Sydney is held by Mr E. J. Ward, and Hunter by Mr R. James; Werriwa by Mr H. P. Lazzarini, though he is hard pressed; and West Sydney by Mr J. A. Beasley, leader of the Federal Lang Planners. United Australia won Eden-Monaro and Parramatta from Labour, and retained North Sydney (Mr W. M. Hughes), Parkes, Robertson, Warringah, and Wentworth. In the lastnamed the sitting member, Mr W. M. Marks, who figured in the revolt with Mr Hughes which wrecked the ■ Bruce Government, was beaten two to one by a political newcomer, Mr E. J. Harrison, under the same banner. The ex-Premier (Mr Holman) handsomely recaptured Martin for the Uniteds, polling 20,847 to the Lang Planner’s (Mr O. H. Hankins) 11,233. VICTORIA In Victoria the Government retain Bourke, Melbourne, and Melbourne Ports (whither Mr E. J. Holloway, Mr Bruce’s vanquisher in 1929, went for a safer seat), and Yarra, where Mr Scullin polled 18,000 against the United candidate’s 10,000. The United Party won Batman from the AttorneyGeneral (Mr F. Brennan). Bendigo, Corio, Flinders, Indi, and Wannon all from the Government, and retained Balaklava, Ballarat, Fawkner, Henty, and Kooyong. In the last-named Mr J. G. Latham polled 46,000 to the Scullinite’s (Mr C. A. Loughnan) 14,000. Mr J. E. ■ Fenton is. hard pressed in Maribynong, with 25,017 to Mr W. J. Beckett’s (Federal Labour) 25,025, and Mr W. E. Scott , (Independent) 996. Preferences will decide. The Country Party took Corangaxnite and Wannon from the Government, and retained Echuca and Gippsland. SOUTH AUSTRALIA In South Australia the Government held Grey and Hindmarsh. The position in Adelaide is very uncertain, while the Uniteds again represent Angas, Barker, Boothby, and Wakefield. QUEENSLAND In Queensland the Government appears to have won Brisbane, Herbert, Kanhedy, and Oxley, all from the Uniteds, and' retained the seat of the Minister of Customs (Mr F. M. Fordo), in Capricornia. The Uniteds hold Lilley and Moreton. The Country Party keeps Wide Bay, and the exSpeaker (Sir Littleton Groom), as an Independent United, recaptured Darling Downs from United, and Maranoa is uncertain, as several thousand votes are outstanding. TASMANIA In Tasmania the Uniteds carried all five seats, two Ministerialists (Mr C. E. Culley and Mr C. W. Frost) being ousted. WESTERN AUSTRALIA In Western Australia the Country Party retains Forrest and Swan, hat the position of the other three seats— Fremantle, Kulgoorlie, and Perth—is obscure.

MINISTERS DEFEATED SYDNEY, December 20. Amongst the interesting features of the elections is the defeat of five Ministers, including Mr Theodore (Federal Treasurer), who was more than 10,000 behind the Lang Plan candidate (Mr Rosevear), and 3,000 behind his antiLabour opponent (Mr Massey). Mr Rosevear is certain to win the Dailey seat by a substantial majority. What Mr Theodore will do in the future is a matter of much speculation. He was regarded as the brains of the Sculliu Ministry, yet no other electorate has shown the slightest anxiety to provide him with a safe seat, which would enable him to organise the official Federal Labour forces.

The defeat of Mr Parker Moloney, the Minister of Markets, was not unexpected. He played a prominent part in arranging the Canadian-Australian Trade Treaty, but always had a hard fight in Hume. On this occasion he faced unusually heavy odds from the Country Party, which in recent months conducted an intensive campaign in New South Wales against Langism and against the Sculliu high tariff. For the same reason Mr Cunningham, Assistant Minister of Transport, suffered defeat at the hands of the Country Partyite (Mr C. Abbott), who formerly held Gwiydir: The Minister of Defence (Mr J. J. Daly) will not know his fate until the preferences are counted. Mr M'Neill, Minister of Health, and Mr F. Brennan, Attorney-General, are both definitely defeated in Victoria, where the swing away from Labour was most pronounced. Mr Brennan was formerly returned with a huge majority. The same influence almost unseated Mr Frank Anstey, former Minister of Health in the Scullin Ministry. Indeed, Mr Anstey is not yet out of danger.

The consensus of opinion this evening is /that anti-Labour, otherwise the United' Australian Party, and _ the United Country Party, will have an absolute majority in the House of Representatives of 28 to 30. There is even hope of a greater majority. SOM CLOSE CONTESTS BEASLEY SUCCESSES CONFINED TO NEW SOUTH WALES SYDNEY, December 21. ! (Received December 21, at 9.30 a.m.) The Beasley candidates polled fairly heavily in the Sydney metropolitan electorates, where the Lang influence ia strong, but in the other States they were not treated seriously. Mr .]. Garden, the chief exponent of the Lang plan after Mr Beasley, contested tho Cook seat, against a veteran Labourite (Mr E. C. Riley, who is a Scullin supporter), and an extremely close struggle ensued. The result is likely to remain in doubt for some days. Similar contests are going' on in Barton, South Sydney, and Werriwa (where there are battles royal between the Official Federal Labour and the Beasley Labour factions). The community is looking on with the greatest interest. The Minister of Defence (Mr Chifloy) if beaten for the Macquarie seat, will owe his defeat to the intrusion of tho Lang, candidate. Tho outcome of tho Parramatta contest is interesting. Mr F. 11. Stewart, at the first time of asking triumphed by a tremendous majority over three opponents, including two brands of Labour. Mr Stewart, who is an antiLabourite, is Wizard ” Smith’s backer for the attempt <on the land speed record in New Zealand.

VOTING FOR THE SENATE VICTORY FOR UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY SYDNEY, December 21. (Received December 21, at 11.40 a.m.) When the Senate count ceased the grand aggregate of the United Australia Party was 460,772, and of the Federal and Beasley Labour Groups 425,757. It ia anticipated that the United Australia Party candidates will sweep the polls, except in Queensland. When the new senators take their places in July next the United Australia Party should have twenty-six seats in a House of thirty-six.

The Federal Senate is nominally the States’ House, in that the principal of the equality of the six States is recognised in the election of members. Each State, irrespective of its population, elects six representatives, the object being to guard the of the smaller States The thirty-six members are elected for a term of six years, one-half of their number retiring every three years' —an attempt to secure continuity of policy and provide against sudden radical changes. For elections to the Senate each State forms a single constituency. The latest available figures show that the state of parties in the Senate was: Labour 7, Nationalists 23, Country Party 4, and Independents 2. COMMENTS BY POLITICAL LEADERS SYDNEY, December 20. Mr Scullin stated: “Defeat is the fate of the Government which was called upon to govern during a financial crisis. It is a staggering blow to the Labour Part}’, but undoubtedly there

will be a strong reaction before many months. Mr Lyons reads the result of the election as an expression of the sound commonsense and patriotism of the people, who have taken the long view. “ Our credit in the eyes of the world has been re-established,” Dr Page declares. “ Inflation and repudiation have received their quietus.” Mr Latham regards the result as an indication to the world that Australia is determined to resist plans for politically controlling the banking system and depreciated currency. Mr Bavin says that the overwhelming majority has made it clear that the public will not tolerate political control of banking. Mr Hughes declares that the Ramsay MacDonald-Baldwin victory is repeated, and shows definitely that the people of Australia prefer a Government based on sound finance rather than fantastic schemes and extremist doctrines. Mr Macpherson, the Federal Party secretary, places the responsibility for the result on “ Garden-Langism,” and says that the ultimate effect will be the raising of a Fascist dictatorship in Australia. (Received December 21, at noon.) Mr Lyons said: “ The result is a severe condemnation of the policy of the Government, also of the Lang plan. The electors, by their verdict, have stopped a financial and economic disaster. The difficult task ahead will be tackled with courage and determination. Our aim will be to restore confidence ■and order in industry, so that the country may begin again to employ those who to-day are out of work.” Mr Lang declared that the election results meant that the people had given the private banking system of the past a chance to justify itself. “ Labour’s long fight is a national one, because the nationalisation of banking is just around the corner,” ho said. Mr Beasley said: •“ Our turn is coming, because our policy is the only one that can save the people of this country. Wo feel that the results, so far as Now South Wales is concerned* .are yerjr satis-

factory to the State Labour Party. It is apparent that the achievement of our policy is near at-hand. The United Australia Party will fail to solve the problems and to provide employment in the same manner that the ScullinTheodore Government and the Conservatives in England have failed.” M THEODORE FORSAKING POLITICS SYDNEY, December 21. (Received December 21, at 9.30 a.m.) Mr Theodore is thoroughly reconciled to his crushing defeat for Dailey. He says that he is forsaking politics for something more congenial, but he does not state the nature of his future activities.

THE COUNTRY PARTY

The Country Party captured Calare,, where Mr A. V. C. Thorby, former State Minister of Agriculture, ousted Mr G. A. Gibbons, framer of a financial “plan” last year- Gwydir from Federal Labour, though the preferences must decide who is to be the incumbent; Hume from Mr Parker Moloney (Minister of Markets and Transport) and retain Cowper (Dr Earle Page’s seat), Richmond and Riverina. NEW MEMBERS SYDNEY, December 21. (Received December 21, at 9.30 a-.m.) flmong the new members elected are the former Prime Minister (Mr Stanley Bruce), a former Speaker of the House of Representatives (Sir Littleton Groom), an ex-Minister of Home Affairs (Mr C. Abbott), an ex-Premier of New South Wales (Mr W. A. Holman), and a former State Minister of Agriculture (Mr H. Thorby).

EARLY MEETING OF PARLIAMENT EXPECTED SYDNEY, December 21. (Received December 21, at 12.30 p.m.) It is expected that Parliament will meet before the end of February, and owing to urgent business it may meet as early as the 3rd of that month. Mr Scullin is likely to interview the Gov-ernor-General this week. MR BRUCE'S BIG MAJORITY Mr Stanley Bruce scored 36,700 in Flinders to the Federal Labour candidate’s 11,900. The ‘Sun’ newspaper credits the combined opposition in the House of Representatives with IS seats, combined Labour with 19, Independent 1, and doubtful 7. The paper considers that Mr Chiflcy, Minister of. Defence, Mr M'Neil, Minister of Health, and Mr Cunningham, assistant Minister, are also doomed. As a large amount of counting has yet to be done close contests are not easy to forecast. CABINET FDRECASTS Cabinet-makers are already busy. One suggested team, to be led by Mr Lyons, is:—Mr J. A. Lyons, Prime Minister and Minister of External Affairs; Mr Bruce, Treasurer; Mr Latham, Attorney-General; Dr Page, Health; Sir W. Glasgow, Defence; Mr H. G. Gullett, Trade and Customs; Mr Prowse, Works and Railways; Mr Hughes,, Postmaster-General; Mr Parkhill, Home and Territories; Mr Patterson, Markets and Migration; Mr Pearce, Leader of the Senate. An early reshuffle anticipates giving the leadership to Mr Bruce, a High Court scat to Mr Latham, and a portfolio .to Mr Holman,

VARIOUS COMMENTS SYDNEY, December 20. Election prophets in Tasmania predicted that anti-Labour would win all live seats. The prophecy was entirely fulfilled. Mr Lyons, the probable Prime Minister, is well ahead in Wilmot (Tasmania) , although his former Labour colleagues ran strong candidates against him. Dr Earle Page, Leader of the Country Party, is having a runaway victory in the Cowper electorate. The position in South Australia and Western Australia will have no particular bearing on .the state of the parties, except slightly to increase the antiLabour majority. The fact that Queensland was the only State where the Government more than held its own was due to the fear that the anti-Labour forces were out to remove the sugar embargo, which is an active election cry throughout that State; also to unpopularity of the Moore Government, which had to clean up what was described as the “ seven years’ Labour mess,” instituting rigid economies, including the discharging of 12,000 superfluous railwaymen and the insistence on thorough discipline in all Government departments. LESSON OF THE ELECTION SYDNEY, December 21. (Received December 21, at 12.30 p.m.) The ‘ Sydney Morning Herald ’ editorially says. “The elections have established beyond all question Australia’s refusal to have anything to do with inflation of the currency. The Scullin Government revealed itself as the weakest in the face of its responsibilities that Australia has ever seen. Inequalities in the electoral distribution magnify the Langite success.” A BANKER'S OPINION SYDNEY, December 21. (Received December 21, at 12.30 p.m.) Mr Thomas Buckland (chairman of directors of the Bank of New South Wales) said: “ Under this new Government confidence will be restored and the rehabilitation of the country be seriously undertaken. This should mean a return, eventually, to better times. I expect the stock and share market will show an unward tendency immediately.”- 9 INDEPENDENTS AND COMMUNISTS LITTLE SUPPORT SYDNEY, December 19. The Independents and Communists were very poorly supported. Sixteen candidates lost-their deposit, of whbm seven are Communists, six Independents, and three Labour. BRITISH PRESS COMMENT LONDON, December 19. The issue in Australia is sound finance versus inflationary methods, says the ‘ Morning Post’s ’ city editor. If Australia, particularly New South Wales, votes solidly in favour of the United Australia Party, or the Country Party, it is probable that Australian stocks will show a substantial recovery. The ‘ Sunday Times ’ emphasises the remarkable similarity between the Australian and the British national appeals on financial issues, and says: “ The Australian election makes it abundantly plain that the Empire is resolved that its Governments shall maintain financial stability. It was part of the mandate given to Britain in October. New Zealand has since spoken with the same voice. Now Australia has voted decisively. Therefore, specially welcome is Australia’s emphatic repudiation of the rash schemes for the political control of banks.” The ‘ Observer ’ says: “ Australia’s verdict is clear enough. Mr Lyons will be able to build a Ministry which will be solidly supported by at least threefifths of the House. The public have endorsed Empire trade, and the new Empire currency issues for the Imperial Conference at Ottawa are steadily gaining a- clearer definition.” THE LAST HOUSE • t The state of the parties in the last Parliament was:—Federal Labour, 35; Beasley-Socialist Labour, 5; United Australia Party, 23; United Country Party, 11; Independent, 1.