WIN FOR MR. LANG.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21110, 18 February 1932, Page 11

WIN FOR MR. LANG.

EAST SYDNEY SEAT. FEDERAL HOUSE ELECTION. WEAK GOVERNMENT CANDIDATE. [from our own correspondent. ] SYDNEY, Feb. 11. It is certain that if the United Australia Party had chosen a stronger candidate for the Federal by-election in East Sydney tho Lang Labour Party would not have recaptured East Sydney. Mr. W. V. McCall, who represented the United Party, is but a very young man, inexperienced in political campaigning. Ho is cultured, certainly, and has a splendid grip of the problems facing Australia today, but he gives the impression that he has a superiority complex. As such it is hardly likely that he would appeal to the majority of electors in a working class electorate—a district that has for years been a Labour stronghold. The late Mr. J. J. Clasby, who, for the first time, took the seat from Labour, was of a different type. lie was an ex-soldier, a blunter man than Mr. McCall, a man with greater appeal. The marvel is that Mr. McCall was able to go so close to victory. As things turned out the Lang Party won back East Sydney, but the victory, in the circumstances, is not in the least significant. Of course, Mr. Lang and his followers say that already there has been a swing to the Lang Planners, but when they say that they must have their tongues in their cheeks. Three years ago East Sydney was overwhelmingly Labour; on Saturday the Lang Labour man had to be content with a majority of about 240. When Labour won East Sydney at tho general election in 1929 the late Mr. John West had a majority of more than 14,000 on primary votes alone. At a by-election in 1931 tho Labour majority was reduced to 3000. At the last general election Labour was in front on primary votes but lost the seat when the preferences were distributed. On Saturday Labour scored only 1215 more primary votes than the United Party, so any suggestion of a swing to the Lang Plan would be difficult to justify. There wero two Labour candidates at Saturday's by-election—Mr. E. J. Ward (Lang Plan) and Mr. L. L. Cunningham (Federal Labour). The result was one of the worst reverses in the history of the Federal Labour Party. Mr. Cunningham was a Minister in the Scullin Government, yet it is certain that he will lose his deposit. The meagre total has filled the Federal Labour Party with alarm and has rendered almost hopeless the aim of the Federal Party to secure control of the movement in New South Wales. It can be said with certainty now that there is only one Labour Party in New South Wales, and that is the party which subscribes to the wild ideas of Mr. Lang. Except that Mr. Ward's victory will convert to a minority the United Australia Party majority of one over all parties, the result of the by-election can have little effect on the immediate political future of Australia. It is extremely unlikely that the Country Party will oppose the Government on any matter except the tariff, and even on the tariff question would not be prepared to throw Mr. Lyons out of office.