GOVERNMENT RETIMED

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 17 September 1934, Page 5

GOVERNMENT RETIMED

United Party’s Definite Mandate to Carry On LABOUR GAINS FEW SEATS SOME STILL DOUBTFUL (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) Received 12 noon to-day. SYDNEY, Sept. 16. With, its former large majority negligibly reduced, the Rt. Hon. J. A. Lyons’ Government yesterday received an unequivocal mandate to carry on. At most it may lose four seats and the Country Party four, which will be due entirely to the fact that these seats, Labour strongholds, were won during the 1931 landslide and are now reverting to Labour. The state of the parties so far is as follows: — United Australia Party .. 31 United Country Party .. 11 Federal Labour Party ... 15 State Labour Party 7 Doubtful 10 The “Labour Daily’’ says that State Labour has a certain ten seats, and possibly twelve. Of 2,966,14-3 votes so far counted, the United Australia Party has secured 1,154,762, the Country Party 296,682, Federal Labour 796,412, State Labour 466472, Douglas Credit 144,736, Communists 41,498. The remainder are for Socialists and Independents. The former House of Representatives comprised:— United Australia Party .38 United Country Party 16 Federal Labour Party 14 State Labour Party 5 Independents 2

The “Herald,” in a leader, says that as the Labour Party has discarded its old ideals, so workers everywhere are discarding the Labour Party. It no longer represents them, and it belies frhe name it bore when they gave it their allegiance. There is in this State at all events no longer a Labour Party. What arrogates that title to itself is a coterie grasping at power for the aggrandisement of one section of workers as against all other sections, and in a mistaken sense of loyalty to the name of Labour men with naturally nothing but goodwill in

their hearts allow themselves to be

dragooned id to what in a country j where no privilege is recognised must \ always be a hopeless class war. Interpreted in its right meaning, this election was not a defeat of Labour, it was a victory—a victory for the majority of the people, which is the same thing in this country as a majority of workers. The “Labour Daily/’ in a leader, says the results of the voting afford every reason for the Labour Party in New South Wales to look forward to the immediate future with the greatest optimism. Labour demonstrated on Saturday that it has consolidated its front during the past eighteen months, so that to-day it has a united movement prepared to accept an undiluted Labour policy.

The Postmaster-General, the Hon. A. Parkhill, has a huge majority of 18,000, the' Minister of Trade and Commerce, the Hon. F. 11. Stewart, an absolute majority of 12,000, and Mr W. M. Hughes an absolute majority of 4000. These figures are typical of the strength of the United Australia Party polling in many electorates. The Country Party, however, has not done so well. Reports from the smaller States indicate there will be only trifling changes. The party’s representation will probably not exceed three new faces.

Owing to the smallness of the returns and the large number of candidates in the field for seats in the Senate it will not be possible to indicate the outcome for several days, although here again the Government forces are making a strong showing.

DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED. k The Government hitherto had an absolute majority over all other parties, with the result that it was unnecessary officially to coalesce with the Country Party. Now, however, the Country Party holds the balance of power and interesting political developments are regarded as inevitable. It was unofficially stated last night that the Government could count on the support of the Country Party, which, peculiarly, is likely to lose two of its seats at the expense of the rival United Australia Party. A feature of tne polling in New South Wales, where most of the change have occurred, is that the State Labour Party, led by tMr 11. M. Beasley, very nearly ousted the Federal Labour candidates, but the LangBeasley influence was not noticeable in any other States. All the Ministers, with the possible exception of Mr J. A. Guy, assistantMinister of Customs, will be returned. Mr Guy’s position has usually been in doubt until the last minute owing to the fact- that preferences invariably have to decide the issue. So far the primary votes have been counted in the various States and the position of the doubtful seats will not be known in some instances until the end of next week. The Prime Minister, having had an easy victory in the Wilmot electorate, Tasmania, on his ootli birthday yesterday said: “I am certainly experiencing many happy Teturns. My party is still overwhelmingly the largest in the l House of Representatives. The Goveminent has received a magnificent ex-

pression of confidence. We shall go forward with the task of placing Australia completely on its feet. It is quite apparent that the people is not prepared to trust -itself to adventures in the uncharted and tempestuous seas of financial experiment. ’ ’

PRIME MINISTER’S FOLLOWING,

The campaign directors of the United Australia Party go to the length of predicting that the Prime Minister will probably have a personal following of 37, losing only one seat when the final returns are to hand. Their analysis states that the United Australia Party has already definitely lost the Lang seat in New South Wales and the Marybyrnong and Batman seats in Victoria, but will gain Corangamite in Victoria and Werriwa in New South Wales from the Country Party. Thus it will have 37, or half the total membership of the new House. Although in no instance did Douglas Credit candidates come within striking; distance of success they polled surprisingly well in some electorates, and their leaders, who are much encouraged, declare that the result will stimulate them to greater action. The distribution of their candidates’ preferences have an important bearing in the doubtful contests. v

The extent to which the Federal Labour vote slipped in New South Wales is best indicated by the heavy primary votes recorded for Mr J. S. Garden, secretary of the. Sydney Trades and Labour Council, over Mr E. C. Riley, Mr Garden at present having more than a two to one majority. Mr Garden has made previous unsuccessful attempts to obtain a seat in Parliament and on this occasion has vanquished a difficult opponent, as Mr Riley’s father hitherto held the Cook seat for many years and had a strong personal following. The surprise of the latest count is a reversal of Mr T. D. Mutch’s lead m the Werriwa electorate. Mr Mutch, a former State Minister for Education in the Lang regime, appeared at first to have won the seat from Mr H. P. Lazzarini, who was the Lang supporter or State Labour nominee for Werriwa, which last election was won by the Country Party.

POSITION IN VICTORIA. The position in Victoria is no less interesting, though there were no surprises. Mr R. G. Menzies, who will probably succeed Mr J. G. Latham as Federal Attorney-General, obtained a heavy majority in the Kooyong electorate, while Mr Maurice Blackburn and Mr Frank Brennan have retrieved the Bourke and Batman seats for Federal Labour. Mr Blackburn retired from the Speakership of the Victorian Assembly to contest the Bourke seat. Maribvrnong lias rejected Mr J. E. Fenton, a former veteran Labour member, who with tMr Lyons broke away from, the Scullin Government and led to its downfall. Mr Fenton allied himself with the United-Australia Party last election and just managed to win, but on this occasion he will be narrowly beaten by Mr A. S. Brakeford, Federal Labour.

The new members so far include the following: Victoria: Messrs M. Blackburn (Federal Labour), F. Brennan (Federal Labour), A. Drakeford (Federal Labour), R. G. Menzies (United Australia). New South Wales: Messrs T. Mutch (United Australia), W. McCall (United Australia), J. Garden (State Labour), D. Muleahy (State Labour). Queensland: Mr D. Watson (Federal Labour). West Australia: Mr J. Curtain (Federal Labour). Doubtful seats are Calare and Darling in New South Wales, the Adelaide seat in South Australia and the Franklin and Bass seats in Tasmania.

“POLITICAL MIRACLE.’’

Mr IT. Horsfleld, secretary of the United Australia Party, Sydney, described the outcome as a political miracle. He would not be surprised if the party won 37 scats, he said. Whatever ground was lost in New South Wales was due solely to the redistribution of boundaries.

The Premier of New South Wales. Mr B. 'S. B. Stevens, regards the poll as the best test possible of the leal political conscience of Australian electors at the present moment. The result, he said, was most gratifying. Mr J. T. Lang, leader of the State Opposition, is extremely pleased that State Labour candidates have done so well in New South Wales, which convinces him that his party should triumph at the forthcoming State elections.

“The swing of the pendulum has not gone far ia the Australian polling and the reduction of Mr Lyons’ strength is less than it seemed natural to expect,” says the “Observer,” according to a London cable. “The election’s main significance is that the Commonwealth has vetoed the ambition of both Labour factions, Federal and State, to relieve the bankers of their responsibilities.’ ’ The “Sunday Times” expresses the opinion that the results are satisfactory on the whole and that a revival of interest in Australian stocks is assured.

Gratification Expressed

CANADA POINT’S TO EXAMPLE

Received noon to-day

VANCOUVER, Sept. 16

General gratification at Mr J. A. Lyons retaining power was expresse-d in Canada, where Australia’s remarkable recovery under his guidance is widely quoted as an example to Canada and the United States.