LABOUR DISUNITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21992, 29 June 1933, Page 9

LABOUR DISUNITY

' «•»"• : NEW SOUTH WALES BY-ELECTION THE AFTERMATH (From Our Own Correspondent.) y'" SYDNEY, June 8. Outside tlio New South Wales Labour movement the result of the Bulli byelection on Saturday has no political significance. It was fought in a purely Labour constituency, and no one anticipated other than a Labour victory. The supporter of .the present Government, Mr A. W. Butterell (United Australia Partv) put up a splendid fight, and he at least showed that in this mining and industrial quarter the Government has not lost any friends since the general election which resulted in the defeat of Mr Lang and his followers. The number 6f U.A.P. votes this year was practically the same as last year, and that on a'smaller poll. The Government is gratified at that result. For the Labour Party the battle was of tremendous significance, for it was mainly between two Labour nieij—one the nominee of the Inner Executive .-at the Trades Hall, Sydney, and the other, Mr A. C. Willis, who was in open revolt against the leadership of Mr Lang and his colleagues. The defeat of Mr Willis showed once again the futility of challenging the " machine." The surprise was that Mr Willis did not score as many votes as Mr Butterell. The campaign was one of the bitterest on record, and at one stage it appeared as though Mr Willis would succeed in swinging support in his direction. The miners were supposed to be with him to a man, but details of the voting showed that many of them remained loyal to the " machine," as represented by Mr J. T. Sweeney, himself a miner. When the position appeared to be desperate for the official Labour candidate, Mr Lang and his party poured money into the electorate, and it is estimated that they spent more on the by-election campaign than they did on the "No" campaign in the recent Upper House referendum. Sixty car loads of " official " Labour supporters invaded the electorate from Sydney on Saturday, and they practically dominated the campaigning outside the main booths. Mr Lang has stated that the travail through which the party has been passing has now ended; that Bulli has suppressed the last attempt at disruption, and that the Labour movement will now 00 forward to unity and success at the State and Commonwealth polls. In contrast to this statement Mr Willis says: "The fight is not over; it has just started. "When it is recognised that, in a whirlwind campaign, the whole weight of the fully trained political machine was turned against me. and that I had to form committees on the spot, witli many inexperienced men, it will be seen that" the result of my effort was very significant. The manner in which my workers made headway through a sea of vilest abuse augurs well for the result of the fight which is now started. 1 will never let up. I will fearlessly tell the people the truth on many matters, and I will stand by what I say. Already they must see that the clay feet of their idol are crumbling." The result of the by-election came as a severe blow to the Mii.ers' Central Council and to the Industrial Socialisation Group, both of which have been

attacking Inner Group control of tlic State Labour Party at the Trades Hall in Sydney. A suggestion lias now been marie that a special convention should lie called for this .month to consider the disunity in the ranks of the party. In the meantime, the Miners' Central Council has decided to call meetings on the northern coalfields with the object of forming n, new industrial party, and the consequent withdrawal oi the Miners' Federation from affiliation with the State Labour Party. The main objective of the socialisation leaders is to secure an alteration in the rules of the State Labour Party to safeguard the rights of affiliated bodies, and so prevent the executive selection of candidates, as was the case in Bulli. That could bo done by a convention. If a special conference of the party was held it would still be under the domination of the Inner Executive, which has extraordinary powers. A problem for the Inner Group to solve is the control of the official organ, the Labour Daily, in which the miners have a very large interest. Another by-election in a purely Labour constituency is pending. This concerns a Sydney suburban seat. Annandale, and it will be of interest to see what will happen in this case. Already there is trouble brewing.