FEDERAL POLITICS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 270, 14 October 1929, Page 2

FEDERAL POLITICS

3.45 P.M. EDITION.

LATEST ELECTION RETURNS. LABOUR MAJORITY MOUNTING. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received October 14. 1.5 p.m. SYDNEY, Oct. 14. The latest returns show that of 13 doubtful seats Labour is likely to win eight, giving them 46 seats in the new Parliament. In Darling Downs, Queensland, the former Speaker. Sir Littleton Groom, standing as an Independent Nationalist, defeated the selected Nationalist candidate, Mr Morgan, who was expected to win. Mr Mann, one of the breakaways, who voted with Mr Hughes against the Government on the arbitration measure, was defeated in Perth as an Independent Nationalist. Mr Bruce’s return is now beyond doubt, the later figures being mostly in his favour.

A review of the whole position shows that both New South Wales and Victoria voted solidly against the Government and in these States Labour will gain four or five seats. The Government is in danger of also losing seats in Tasmania and South Australia, but it succeed in holding its position in Queensland and Western Australia. In not.one case did the Nationalist or Country parties succeed in taking a seat from Labour.

The Herald states editorially

“The swing to Labour was sooner or later bound to come. _ It is remarkable that the Australian electorate, which at large is traditionally fickle, should have remained for so long constant to one party or to one combination of parties. It is nearly 13 years since the Labour Ministry sat on • the Federal Treasury benches, and never before has Labour been so emphatically annroved at the appeal for popular confidence.

Mr Bruce’s courageous policy has been defeated, but it is only for the day. The country will learn in due course that he is right.”