FEDERAL POLITICS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 264, 5 October 1940, Page 7

FEDERAL POLITICS.

ELECTION RESULTS SURVEYED

LABOUR'S POSITION,

SYDNEY, Oct. 4. With only one Federal seat undecided —Maranoa, in Queensland—which is likely to be a gain by Labour, it is now possible to survey what happened in the recent Federal elec tions. As cabled yesterday, the state of the parties remains 36 all, with two Independents. The New South Wales electorates alone revealed a heavy swing to Labour, who won 16 out of the 28 seats, taking five from the Government parties. Labour also won one seat in Victoria and seem certain of winning the last undecided seat, Maranoa. Their losses were two in Tasmania and one in South Australia. Labour’s net gains are t'.ius four seals throughout the Corrimonwealth. In all the States other than New South Wales there was no noticeable swing to Labour. The Government’s majority, however, would have entirely disappeared but for the unexpected rally in Tasmania, where two Labour seats reverted to the United Australia Party. One of these, Wilmot, which was the seat of the former .Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons), has been retrieved by the Government nominee (Mr Guy) from the Labourite (Dir Spurr), who won it at the by-election after Mr Lyons’s -death. Mr Guy was a former member of the Tasmanian Assembly.

The position in Western Australia is “as you were,” but the tragic death this week of Dir A. E. Green at Ivalgoorlie, although it brings Labour’s total seats back to 35, does not dispose of the fact that the seat will again go to Labour. DR. EVATT’S RETURN. The outstanding features of the election were tiie return oi Dr. Evatt lor Barton (New South Wales) by a heavy majority over a strong opponent aud the ciosc call experienced uy the .federal Labour Leader (Mr J. Curtin), wnose majority at Fremantle witn 60,000 voters was only 604. Just what attitude Dr. Evatt will assume when the Labour showdown comes after the party conference with Air Dlenzies on Monday in Dlelbourne is the all-absorbing topic in political circles. He is regarded as having strong claims to the Labour leadership. Dr. Evatt only to-day created a stir by a Press statement calling on Dir Dlenzies to resign because he had failed to secure an overwhelming mandate and the confidence, of the people. Dr. Evatt went the length oi outlining w'hat to him was the constitutional position arising out of the present stalemate. Me declared it was contrary to constitutional practice for Mr Dlenzics not only to attempt to ding to office, but to attempt to assume to himself the special jurisdiction of the King’s representative to consult with various party leaders. Another noteworthy feature of the election was the heavy defeat of the former Premier of New South Wales (Dir B. S. B. Stevens) by the retiring Labourite in the Lang electorate, contrasting with the slender victory of his former Ministerial colleague (Dir Spooner) in the Robertson contest. It will be recalled that Dir Spooner indirectly brought about the downfall of the Stevens Ministry.

The Federal Ministers, Dlessrs Hughes and Spender, Sir Frederick Stewart and Dir Cameron, as well as the Prime Dlinister, all finished up with substantial majorities, but Dir H. V. Thorby’s defeat was not entirely unexpected in view of the many controversies with which he had been associated.