STATE ELECTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22991, 19 March 1938, Page 20

STATE ELECTION

SOUTH AUSTRALIA POLL ISSUES FOR TO-DAY'S VOTE LIQUOR AND BETTING TERM OF PARLIAMENT Although there is little that has a Bpectacular public appeal in either of ithe policies of the two main parties which are/ contesting the State election in South Australia to-day, the campaign has presented some remarkable features. The Parliament which has just endfd its career was elected in 'April, 1933. The Liberal-Country League with 29 members formed tho Government, with Mr. 11. L. Butlor as Premier, and the Australian Labour Group of 13 formed tho Opposition under the leadership of Mr. A. W. Lacey. Thero were three Independents and one shigle tax supporter. Formerly South Australia had threeyear Parliaments, but at the elction in 1933 Mr. Butler announced that he was in favour of a longor term. In October of the election year the Government put through a bill'for a five-year term, but limited the operation of the measure until February of this year, the object being to permit the electors to express, an opinion on the question after an experimental period. The Labour Party lias challenged the Governmqnt for its enactment of a fiveyear Parliament without a mandate from the people and has promised that Labour's first act would bo to restore the three-year period. Change of Boundaries Labour has also attacked the Government on th' 3 alteration of the electoral boundaries. Formerly the State had a complicated . electoral system tinder which some electorates were represented by two members and the others by throe, but to-day's election is being held under the single electorate system./ Instead of 46 members representing 19 electorates there will be 39 members from separate electorates. There has been, some trouble in both xrajor parties over the selection of candidates and in some electorates sitting members will he opposing each other. One of the most extraordinary features of tho campaign has been that the main issues have been raised, not by the contesting parties, but by outside organisations. Much to the embarrassment of both sides tho questions of betting shops and hotel trading hours have been .exercising the minds of large ibodieu of public opinion interested in tho social welfare of the community. Mr. Lacey did not mention either .subject in his policy speech, although ho later made tho frank admission that he preferred controlled to uncontrolled betting and said he with the issue of permits for after-hovirs drinking at hotol parties. lYieldiqg to some pressure from inside his owh party he brought the 40-hour veek aaore-Ifliq the-litnelight. jA e The '.Government has introduced a system'- which . allows permits to be issued for the fdpply' of liquor after .hours afe dinner parties in hotels'.'The Licensed for ah 6f to. cater ]Qor»-i#rv&te .busy' drinking hours, while 4;he temperance organisations have been fighting the threat against six o'clock closing. The Premier has relied largely on what his administration ha,', accomplished in its five years of office, inviting the electors to judge the future on -past performances. On the betting question he has stated that, the Government has appointed "a very impartial qnd competent lloyal Commission" to investigate the lottery and gaming Jaws in South Australia and it'ae other States. Generally, the Government and 'Labour Parties have left the lottery and liquor issues to tho consciences of individual members, but many church and social reform organisations have been supporting Independent candidates whose views on thoso matters please them. Recent advico from Australia ■was to the effect that the general opinion was that the Government would retain office tyith a largo absolute majority.