AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 303, 7 December 1931, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS DISTINCT SWING FROM LABOUR. SOUTHERN DISTRICTS. (United Press Association—P-, CableCopyright.) (Received 7, 10.15 a.m.) Adelaide, Dec. 7. A distinct swing from Labour has occurred in several districts. In the municipal elections at Peterborough, a strong industrial town, every ward was contested and in all but one the Labour candidates were defeated. Mr. J. Fitzgerald, M.L.A., was defeated by 442 votes in the contest for the Mayoralty at Port Pirie, a Labour stronghold. This is tho biggest majority ever obtained there against a Labour man. Onlv one Labour candidate was successful at Port Pirie. Party politics played a leading part throughout the campaign. , MR. SCULLIN’S MISTAKE. “WORST BLUNDER” IN SYDNEY. In the discussions of the mistakes, weaknesses and imperfections of Mr Scullin it is agreed, according to a Sydney correspondent of the “Argus,” that he made his worst blunder in New South Wales. This occurred when he took the platform at Ashfield just after his return from Britain. The by-election for the Parkes seat in the House of Representatives then in progress was made the oocasion of a statement by the Prime Minister on various subjects. The correspondent says: —“Mr. Scullin did not rise to his opportunity. He supported the Labour candidate, who supported inflation, and at tho same time he announced that he (Mr. Scullin) was not an inflationist. This was curious, since the candidate and Mr. Theodore, who also supported inflation, were among those present. “It is necessary in order to obtain a true perspective of this gathering to recall that during the absence of Mr, Scullin in Britain, Mr. Lyons had saved the reputation of Australia by floating a loan to meet urgent obligations and so avoiding repudiation. The Prime Minister made no allusion whatever to that great work, but he turned to ‘My old friend, Ted Theodore,’ and lauded him. The great omission was accepted by many as an index to Mr. Scullin’s general character and the unfavourable impression was thus created.”