STATE POLLS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22107, 13 May 1935, Page 9

STATE POLLS

NEW SOUTH WALES WIN FOR GOVERNMENT SOUND MAJORITY SO3IE SEATS LOST LANG LABOUR GAINS St Telermph—Press Association—Copyright (■Received May 12. 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY May 12 The result of the general election in New South Wales yesterday fully realised the hopes of the majority of the Government's supporters, who anticipated the loss of a number of seats. Indeed. it is possible that its loss of ■''marginal" seats is not so great as many of the Government's supporters anticipated. The outcome of the polling is that the Government parties have been returned with a majority which falls not far short of the unprecedented majority of 42 in the last Parliament. The United Australia Party, with 34 seats, and the United Country Party with 23,' s<?em to be assured of 57 in the new Legislative Assembly, and the Lang (State Labour) Party appears to have won 28. Five Seats Still in Doubt The issue in five electorates is still in doubt. State Labour appears certain to regain Canterbury, Granville, Hurstville and Mudg'ee by narrow margins and Arncliffe, Petersham, Bathnrst, Castlereagh and Goulburn are the ones in doubt. Two of these doubtful seats, prior to 1932, were held hy Lang Ministers, who were defeated in that year. Goulburn was held by Mr. Tully, who is again contesting it, and Petersham by Mr. Lamaro. who is not standing this time. Mr. W. F. Sheahan is the State Labour candidate for Petersham. Mr. Gosling was the only other of Mr. Lang's defeated lieutenants to recontest a seat, but he lost further ground in his electorate, Kogarah, where the United Australia candidate had a comfortable absolute majority. Lang Ministers Likely lio Regain Seats Former .Ministers. Messrs. Ely and Dunn, who were defeated in the 1932 election. :are likely to regain the Granville and Mudgee seats respectively. On the first count. Mr. Dunn has a majority of 800 in a straight-out contest with the Government candidate, Mr. D. H. Spring. ' Mr. Ely's success, however, depends upon the counting of the preference votes. At present he is 400 votes behind the Government candidate. Dr. C. C. Fleck, but the preferences in respect of 1800 votes cast for Federal Labour and Communist candidates are likely to favour him substantially. The Centre Party, led by Colonel Campbell, fared badly. Colonel Campbell was defeated in a straight-out contest with the Minister of Health. Mr. H. Fitzsimmons, by 10,000 votes. Another member of the Centre Party was defeated by 900 and the votes cast for the remaining two members were so negligible that they are certain to lose their deposits. Premier and Ministers Returned All the three Douglas Credit candi- | dates are likely to lose their deposits. j Federal Labour candidates failed to J win one seat and 12 of them are i likely to lose their deposits.

The Federal Labour leader, Mr. J. B. Chifiey, polled well in a straightout contest with Mr. J. T. Lang in Auburn, where the State Labour leader was returned with a majority of a little over 2000. The Premier, Mr. B. S. Stevens, has an absolute majority of over 4000 against the State Labour and Douglas Credit candidates in his electorate, Croydon. The deputy-Premier, Mr. M. 'F. Bruxner, was returned unopposed and most of the other Ministers were elected with substantial majorities. Mr. A. Richardson (United Australia) has an absolute majority in Ashfield against the sitting member, Major Jarvie, who stood as an Independent United Australia Party candidate, and Mr. Bruce, Stato labour candidate. As was anticipated the Lang Party retained all the seats it held in the last Parliament, and it is noteworthy that it was successful in all cases in it conducted a straight-out coutest with a Federal Labour candidate. All the Communists except one will lose their deposits. Leaders' Comment on Result In a broadcast speech last evening Mr. Stevens said the United parties had ,nn excellent working majority. The poll was capable of only one interpretation, namely, approval of the Government's policy in the last three years and the policy contenijilated for th(' future. The Cabinet accepted the verdict as P. trust which would not be betrayed. Mr. Bruxner, in supporting Mr. Stevens, said he regarded the result not so much as a great victory as a great responsibility. Mr. Lang said there had been a swin<r to Labour, and although it was not enough to defeat the Government it was an indication of the trend of events. Had the campaign gone another fortnight he was confident his party would have sprung a surpriso. The quietness of the campaign was repeated at the polls. There were steady streams of early voters, but no excitement. The party leaders utilised the wireless stations until a late hour on Friday night making their filial appeals to the electors. A total of 1,529,466 voters were enrolled for the election.