STATE ELECTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24569, 13 May 1935, Page 9

STATE ELECTIONS

NEW SOUTH WALES GOVERNMENT RETURNED WITH REDUCED MAJORITY LABOUR GAINS IN QUEENSLAND The elections which were held in New South Wales and Queensland on Saturday resulted in the return of the Government in each State. In New South Wales, in spite of the belief that the State Labour Party, led by Mr J. T. Lang, would considerably strengthen its position, the combined United Australia and United Country Parties, which constituted the Government, were* returned with a substantial majority and are assured of 57 seats in a House of 90, compared with the 66 which they previously held. Labour has won 28 seats, compared with 24 in the previous Parliament, and five seats are in doubt. In Queensland, the Labour Government, whose policy is regarded as moderate, made considerable gains and may secure 47 seats in a House of 62, compared with 33 at the last elections.

GOVERNMENT'S MAJORITY EXPECTATIONS EXCEEDED CONFIDENCE IN POLICY LANG PARTY STRENGTHENED (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) SYDNEY, May 12. (Received May 12, at 7.25 p.m.) The New South Wales election results fully realised the hopes of the majority of Government supporters, who anticipated the loss of a number of seats. Indeed, it is possible that the loss of “marginal” seats is not so great as many Government supporters anticipated, and the outcome of the polling is that the Government parties have been returned with a majority falling not so far short of the unprecedented majority in the last Parliament.

LARGE VOTE FOR PREMIER The Premier (Mr B. S. Stevens) has an absolute majority of over 4000 against the State Labour and Douglas Credit candi dates in his electorate, Croydon. The Minister of Transport (Mr M. F. Bruxner) was returned unopposed, and all the other Ministers were re-elected with substantial majorities. Mr A. Richardson (United Australia Party) has an absolute majority in Ashfield against the sitting member, Mr M. L. P. Jarvie, who stood as an Independent U.A.P. candidate, and Mr R. T. Bruce, the State Labour candidate. As was anticipated, the Lang Labour Party retained all the seats which it held in the last Parliament, and it is noteworthy that it was successful in all cases in which it conducted straight-out contests with Federal Labourites. COMMENT ON RESULT Mr Stevens, in a broadcast comment said that the United parties had an excellent working majority. The poll was capable of only one interpretation, namely approval of the Government’s policy in the last few years and the policy contemplated for the future. Cabinet accepted the verdict as a trust which was not to be betrayed. Mr Bruxner, supporting Mr Stevens, said that he regarded the result not so much as a great victory as a great responsibility. Mr Lang, commenting ‘on the result, said that there had been a swing to Labour, and, although it was not enough to defeat the Government, it indicated the trend of events. Had the campaign gone another fortnight he was confident that his party would have sprung a surprise.

The United Australia Party (34) and the United Country Party (23) seem assured of 57 seats in the new House, and the Lang Party appears to have won 28. The issue In five electorates is doubtful. x

All the Communists except one will lose their deposits. : ' ' DOUBTFUL SEATS ,

State Labour appears certain to regain Canterbury, Granville, Hurstville, and Mudgee by narrow margins, and Arndiffe, Petersham, Bathurst, Castlereagh, and Goulburn are in doubt

RETURN OF LANG MINISTERS The former Lang Ministers, Messrs W. T. Ely and W. F. Dunn, who were defeated at the 1932 election, are likely to regain the Granville and Mudgee seats respectively. Mr Dunn on the first count has a majority of 800 in a straight-out contest with the Government candidate, Mr D. H. Spring, but Mr Ely’s success depends on . the counting of preferences. He is at present 400 votes behind the Government candidate, Dr C. C. Fleck, but the preferences in respect of the 1800 votes cast for the Federal Labour and Communist candidates are likely to favour him substantially.

The Centre Party, led by Mr Eric Campbell, fared badly. Mr Campbell ■was defeated in a straight-out contest •with the Minister of Health (Mr H. P. Fitzsimons) by 10.000 votes. Another Centre Party candidate was defeated by 9000 votes, while the votes cast for the remaining two Centre Party supporters were sc negligible that they are certain to lose their deposits. All three Douglas Credit candidates are likely to lose their deposits. The Federal Labour candidates failed to win one seat, and 12 of them are likely' to lose tteir deposits. The Federal Labour leader (Mr J. B. Chifley) polled well in a straight-out contest with Mr Lang in Auburn, where the State Labour leader was returned with c majority of a little over 2000.

Two of the seats which are still in doubt were, prior to 1932, held by Lang Ministers, who were defeated in that year. Goulburn was held by Mr J, M. Tully, who is recontesting it, and Petersham was held by Mr Lamaro, who did not recontest the seat. Mr W. F. Sheahan is the State Labour candidate for Petersham. Mr M. Gosling was the only other of Mr Lang’s defeated lieutenants to reeontest a seat, but he lost further ground in his electorate, Kogarah, where the U.A.P. man has a comfortable absolute majority. QUIETNESS OF CAMPAIGN REFLECTED IN VOTING SYDNEY, May 11. The quietness of the election campaign was repeated at the polls. There were steady streams of early voters, but no excitement. Party leaders utilised wireless stations until a late hour last night, making final appeals to the electors. There are 1,529,466 voters enrolled for this election, and with 11 seats uncontested it is expected about 1,200,000 people will go to the poll. Voting is compulsory. MR LYONS GRATIFIED RESULT IN NEW SOUTH WALES DUBLIN, May 12. (Received May 12, at 7.30 p.m.) The Prime Minister of Australia (Mr Lyons), commenting on the elections, said: “ It is needless for me to say how glad I am at the result, which once again assures New South Wales a sound, sane and progressive Government.” SEVERAL GAINS LABOUR IN QUEENSLAND SUCCESS OF MODERATE POLICY BRISBANE, May 12. (Received May 12, at 7.25 p.m.) The Queensland State elections were held yesterday, and by midnight it was shown that Labour had gained no fewer than six seats, among which in the metropolitan area are Logan, Sandgate, Windsor, Wynnum and Baroona, in which it gained easy victories. The following Ministers were returned unopposed: Mr F. W. Bui cock (Barcoo). Minister of Agriculture; Mr E. M. Hanlon (Ithaca), Home Secretary; and Mr W. Mullen (Carpentaria), Attorneygeneral. Mr G. Pollock (Speaker) was returned unopposed for Gregory. One of the biggest surprises was the victory of Mr J. I. Brown (Labour) over Mr R. M. King, for Logan. Mr A. E. Moore, the Leader of the Opposition, was returned unopposed. The polling is hailed as a triumph for moderate Labour, which is likely to secure 45 seats, with the remaining 17 going to the Country Party and Progressive Nationalists. The Independents lost their one seat in the House. Labour did not lose a single seat, and it is conservatively estimated that it will win 12—possibly two more—giving the party a majorty of 47 to 15. Although the Douglas Credit candidates polled better than in New South Wales they were unable to win a seat. Communists polled very poorly, and the majority seem certain to lose their deposits. Mr R. M. King, Deputy Leader

of the Opposition, is among the vanquished after representing Logan for 15 years. LEADERS’ STATEMENTS The Premier (Mr W. Forgan Smith), after the election, stated that the victory would go down as one of the most outstanding in the annals of the State. The large majority would enable the Government to proceed with the colossal but not insuperable task of restoring the State to its former prosperity. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Moore) said that he could only accept the position with fortitude. “ Though our numbers have been depleted,” he added, “ w r e represent a large section of the community and must endeavour by our work to win back confidence.”