POLITICS IN AUSTRALIA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 92, 20 March 1939, Page 7

POLITICS IN AUSTRALIA.

N.S.W. BY-ELECTION

SYDNEY, March 19

The final result of the first preference count in the Hurstville by-elec-tion indicates a victory for the Heffron Party Labour candidate, at Clive, Mr Evatt, K.C., and shows a distinct swing away from the Government. When counting ceased to-night the figures were : Dr. Thomas (United Labour Party) 7552 Mr Evatt (Heffron Labour) ... 6863 Alderman McGrath (Lang Lab.) 5575 It is expected that Mr Evatt will secure sufficient of Mr McGrath’s second preference votes to elect him. At the last general election the United Australian Party candidate, the late Dr. Webb, polled 11.493 votes against his Labour opponent’s 8982. The Premier (Mr B. S. B. Stevens), in an interview, said it semed beytnd doubt that the distribution of preferences would give Mr Evatt a substantial majority. WEST RALI AN ELECTION. GOVERNMENT LEAD BIGGER. PERTH, March 19. Early figures in the Western Australian elections indicate a slight swing from the Labour Government, which had a mojority of only one in the last Parliament. Progress election figures give Labour 26 seats, the Country Party 13. National eight, and Independent two, with one doubtful, giving Labour a clear majority of at least two. All the Ministers’ scat- are safe. The state of the parties in the last Parliament was Labour 26. Country Party 13, Nationalists 9, Independents 2.