AUSTRALIAN ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20387, 16 October 1929, Page 13

AUSTRALIAN ELECTION.

(POSITION UNCHANGED.

BRUCE'S SEAT UNCERTAIN.

NEXT TRIME MINISTER.

NO RIVAL FOR SCIJLLIN.

MR. MARR RETURNS ILL.

Ey Teleornph—Press Association—Copyright, (Received October 15, 11.25 p.m.)

SYDNEY. Oct. 15. There is still good ground for the belief ■that tho Labour Party will have 46 of tho 75 scats in tho now Federal Houso of Representatives.

Tho Prime Minister, Mr. Bruce, at the present stage of tho count in tho Flinders (Victoria) electorate, is 138 votes behind the Labour candidate, Mr. E. J. Hollovay. There are nearly 5000, absentee votes to bo ,counted before tho preferences can be distributed. That will probably be dono on Thursday. Mr. Bruce stated to-day that even if Jio is defeated ho will closely identify himself with Australian politics. Probably ho will tnko a holiday shortly and lie may visit New Zealand. Mr. E. G. Theodore, deputy-leader of the Labour Party, denies rumours to the effect that lie intends to contest tho Prime Ministership with Mr. J. H. Scullin. Mr. C. W. "C. Marr, honorary Minister in tho Bruce 1 Cabinet, arrived at Freriantle to-day by the Otranto from London. Ho had already learned of his defeat for tho Farkes (Now South Wales) scat by wireless. Mr. Marr was too ill to be interviewed. Tho general secretary of tho Australian Council of Trades Unions, Mr. C. Crofts, in expressing satisfaction with tho result of tho election, describes it as a political earthquake. 'IIo says it is tho first time in the history of Australia that an election has been fought and won purely cn an industrial question. Sixteen candidates have had to forfeit .their deposits of £25.

MR. J. H. SCULLIN.

LONDON PRESS MYSTIFIED.

NO BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS.

Australian and N.Z. Press Association. (Received October 15, 5.5 p.m. ) LONDON, Oct. 15. The Leader of tho Australian Labour Party, Mr. J. H. Scullin, has caused some mystification to tho London newspapers. They describe him as " a mystery man." Tho Evening Standard publishes a ro--jiort under tho captions: "Australia llouso docs not know its New Chief." !' A Man Without a Past." Tho Standard says that when inquiries ,\voro mado at Australia Houso an official said: "I am afraid we aro sadly ignorant of biographical details of Mr. Scullin. All we can do is to turn up our rcferenco books, which tell us ho was born in Victoria and is a journalist." Mr. Scullin was born at Ballarat on September 18„ 1876. Details of his career were published in tho Herald yesterday.

ARBITRATION ISSUE.

STATE PREMIERS TO MEET.

DISCUSSION OF SITUATION.

(Received October 15, 11.23 p.m.) SYDNEY, Oct. 15. The Premier of New South Wales, Mr. T. R. Bavin, has convened a conferenco cf State Premiers to discuss tho situation arising from tho election and the rejection of tho proposal to abolish the Federal Arbitration Court.

It is understood that the main purpose of the conference is to deal with a proposal that tho States shall now surrender their arbitration powers to the Commonwealth in order to dispose of the disabilities due to conflicting State and Federal awards.

FINANCIAL ASPECT.

VIEW TAKEN IN LONDON.

INFLUENCE ON LOAN ISSUES

Australian and N.Z. Press Association. LONDON, Oct. 14,

Commenting upon tho result of the Federal election the financial correspondent of tho Daily Telegraph says: "Although it would he untrue to say the victory of the Labour Party is liked in tho City thero is ;i feeling that it may not have any particularly disastrous roi>lilts. The decline in Australian Government stocks lias been limited to half a-dozen securities. " Mr. E. Cf. Theodore and tho other Labour leaders, may be assumed to havo learned something about economic truths irom tho experience of Queensland. Apart from tho check to tha carrying out of the loan programmes of tho States as arranged by tho Federal Loan Council in August, a reduction in loan expenditure will affect thoso forms of activity the employment of which past loans have stimulated. " A more moderate growth of public debts, even at the expense of deflation in tl*ie activity arising from annual expenditure, is desirable in the interests of tho Australian public, arid with tho restraining influence of tho Senate it may bo hoped the new Government will not loso sight of that."

[MIGRATION QUESTION.

BRITAIN TO AUSTRALIA.

LABOUR RULE WELCOMED.

Australian and N.Z. Press Association. LONDON. Oct. .11. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Dominions, Mr. Arthur Ponsouby, speaking at a luncheon of tho National ,Travel Association, urged that tho overteas settlement problem should not bo made ono of parly politics. There would soon bo a new, Labour Government in Australia, which lie would welcome. Ho felt certain that it would work ru sympathy with the British Government and not place obstacles in (he way of British pcoplo going to '4ustralia. ,