A LANDSLIDE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24604, 12 May 1941, Page 5

A LANDSLIDE

N.S.W. ELECTIONS DECISIVE LABOUR WIN SEVERAL MINISTERS IN DANGER (Rec. 8 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 11. A landslide against the Government at the State elections on Saturday ensures the formation of a Labour Ministry. When the counting closed last night the Official Labour Party had won 47 seats, the United Australia Party and the United Country Party 30, including three Independent, and the United Australia Party Independents 2. Eleven seats are doubtful. Labour, which has thus far not lost a seat, has good chances in nine of the doubtful seats, so that it may have 56 members compared with 34 in the old House This would give Labour a irajority of 22 over the other parties. The State Labour Party, led by Mi J. R. Hughes, failed to win s seal, although it had 28 candidates. A noteworthy feature is that in some electorates the United Australia Party candidate defeated the endorsed United Australia Party candidate, notably ..in Mosman. where the Rev. D. P. Macdonald had an overwhelming win against Major-general H. W. Lloyd the Director-general of Recruiting. The Premier. Mr A. Mair. will have a hard fight to retain the Albury seat He has a small majority at present, but. there are 7115 Votes outstanding. The Minister of National Emergency Service. Mr H. L. Primrose, in North Sydney, and the Minister of Works and Local Government. Mr L. O. Martin, in Oxley, apparently face certain defeat Other Ministers fighting hard are the Chief Secretary, Mr A. U. Tonking, in Orange, the Minister of Agriculture. Mr A. D. Reid, in Young, and the Minister of Lands, Mr A. Yeo. in Liverpool. The Minister of Health, Mr H. P Fitzsimons. is in danger of defeat in Lane Cove, which has been considered a United Australia Party stronghold for many years. The selection of members of the Labour Cabinet will be decided by caucus, and the leader, Mr W. J. McKell who will automatically be Premier, will allot the portfolios. A new portfolio to be created will be a Ministry of Housing. The stale of the parties in the Legislative Assembly before the dissolution was as follows:—United Australia Party, 34: Labour Party, 34: United Country Party, 21; Independent, 1. This gave the U.A.P.-U.C.P. coalition - a majority of 21 over the Labour Opposition.