LABOUR VICTORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20385, 14 October 1929, Page 11

LABOUR VICTORY.

FEDERAL ELECTION.

defeat of government.

DEFINITE LANDSLIDE.

BRUCE'S HARD FIGHT.

MINISTERS LOSE SEATS.

By Telecntph—Press Association— Copyright. (Received October 13, B.fiS p.m.) SYDNEY, Oct. 13. Tlifl returns fo hand at midnight in connection with the poll for tho election of b new Federal House of Representatives revealed a definite landslide to Labour, which is practically certain to have a pood working majority, with Mr. J. 11. Scullin as Australia's next Prime Minister.

Indeed, ,tho Nationalist-Country Party Government has suffered a dcbaclo so ply at that even Mr. Bruce himself, who has been Prime Minister for nearly seven years, runs the risk of losing bis seat. Analysis'of the state of parties early this morning showed that Labour bad 44 of tho 75 seals in the House within its grasp, and tho Bruce-Page Party had dwindled from 43 to 26. the remaining five seats being held by Independent Nationalists. Tho counting is to be resumed to-night. Four Ministers, Messrs. C. L. A. [Abbott (Home Affairs), W. G. Gibson ( Post master-General), Sir Neville Howso (Health and Repatriation), and C. W. C. Marr (Honorary Minister), appear to have been defeated. Mr. Marr is on his way bark from the 'Assembly of the League of Nations, but is not due in Australia until next week. He has been badly beaten for the Parkes (New South Wales) seat by Mr. E. A. McTiernan, formerly Attorney-General in Mr. J. T. Lang's (New South Wales) Labour Government.

There is still a slight hope for Sir Neville Ilowse and Mr. Abbott. Triumph of the Recalcitrants. The feature of the checking last night was the battle in Flinders (Victoria) for the Prime Minister's seat. Mr. E. J. Hollowny, a well-known trades . union leader, maintained his lead all the evening and when counting ceased for the night Mr. Bruce was still 900 behind him with 6000 votes to come. However,, Mr. Bruce should just manage 'to win when the preferences for his opponent are distributed.

At the last election Mr. Bruce defeated Mr. Holloway by 12.000 votes. A noteworthy feature of the election is the triumph, of some of the members who broke away from the late Government arid were responsible for its defeat op the arbitration issue, which precipitated the election. They are Messrs. W. M. Hughes, W. M. Marks, G. A. Maxwell and P. G. Stewart! Each has a substantial majority. Especially is this so in the case of Mr. Hughes, who defeated Dr. Nott at North Svdnev by 12,000 votes, and Mr. Marks, who already has a lead of 9000 over his opponent for'the entworth (New South scat, Mr. A. G. Manning. Some Almost Incredible Changes. The changes which have taken place are almost incredible. In some of the Nationalist strongholds in New South [Wales, Victoria and Tasmania many old members have disappeared only to be replaced by Labour candidates, whose chances of victory were never dreamed of. The position in Victoria discloses a definite swing to Labour. There the aggregate of the votes cast for Labour was far greater than at the previous general election. Mr. Maxweil, one of the recalcitrants, has a firm grip of his seat (Fawkner) his lead over two opponents being 9000, with only a handful of votes to corne. The same applies to Mr. Stewart, another recalcitrant, at Wimmera.

lhe figures from Western Australia give no indication of the position of parties there, but it is believed that there is no material alteration.

The outlook in Queensland and in South Australia is more favourable for the Government, but there is small hope of the Bruce party winning additional seats.

The Government will lose at least two Beats in Tasmania to Labour, where Messrs. J. A. Lyons arid J. B. Guy, who resigned from the State Parliament to contest the election, are in winning positions at Wilrnot and Bass respectively. Bruce Deeply Disappointed.

The Federal Labour Leader, Mr. Scullin, commenting on the results to date, said they were magnificent. Mr. E. G. Theodore, Deputy Labour Leader, said: •" Our gains are greater than I anticipated. We should have 44 seats in tho new Parliament."

Mr. Bruce said he was flceply disappointed. He admitted the noticeable swing of the pendulum in favour of Labour arid deplored the deffat of at least five of his old colleagues.

Mr. Hughes said the Government's defeat had sounded the death knell of the party machine. Arbitration was to remain an integral part of Australia s social life.

Labour's victory, by reason of its decisive nature, makes another election in the Federal sphere almost certain iri the near future, as the Senate, which is overwhelmingly anti-Labour, is able to obstruct Labour's programme. Moreover, it, is believed that the Independent Natiunajists,, who broke away from the Govern men t and received Labour's support at the polls yesterday, are bound to ally themselves with Mr. Scullin in the £icater portion of his programme. The state, of Parties in the Senate is Is follows : Nationalists . . . . . . 2.3 lY.mit i-v Party 6 Labour . . . . • • • • 7 It will thus be seen that the combined ariti Labour vote in the Upper House (not concerned in this election) amounts In a clear majority of 22. The state of parties in the House ol Itepresentatiyes prior to tho last dissolution was;— Nationalists 30 Country Party 13 Labour '. . . . . . • • 32 The number of scats required to give \ny party a. bare majority js 33-