Federal Plans Clearly Rejected

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26614, 10 November 1947, Page 5

Federal Plans Clearly Rejected

Rec. 9 p.m. SYDNEY, Nov. 9. “The significance of the vote cannot escape Mr Chifley” says the Sunday Telegraph. In spite of the protestations of the Labour Party leaders that banking was not an election issue, there can be no doubt that Victoria has voted against the Federal Government’s bank nationalisation plans. Nor can there be much doubt that electors in other States, given a similar opportunity, would record equally emphatic disapproval.” The Sunday Sun comments that “though the Legislative Council’s refusal to vote the Supply Bill was an outrageous political subterfuge which ordinarily would have roused the anger of the electorate, there was a much more important issue. The people chose to forget about their own State issues and gave an unmistakable expression on the nationalisation of banking.” , , , Tasmanian Liberals, who have been watching- the Victorian election with great interest, are reported to be considering using the same methods to force an election on the bank nationalisation issue. In Tasmania, the Upper House is non-Labour and in the Lower House, Labour hold 16 seats, the Liberals 12 and Independents 2. A motion sent down by the Upper House criticising the Nationalisation Bill was lost last week in the Lower House by only one vote. The Upper House may refuse the supply to the Cosgrove Government later this year as the next elections are not due until the end of 1951. “ What can anybody say about figures such as these? The people have spoken,” commented the general secretray of the Labour Party, Mr P. J. Kennedy. Senior Labour Party men are blaming attacks by Federal and State Labour men on former prisoners of war, Mr A. M. Blain and Mr Kent Hughes, for the loss of some seats and thousands of votes. The result is regarded in all camps as an unequivocal condemnation of the Federal Government banking policy

which was undoubtedly the principal issue.

The Opposition Leader, Mr J. G. McDonald (Country Party) made an early prediction that the Opposition could claim 15 seats. “It is a definite landslide in which the Victorian pepole have confirmed their faith in the British way of life.” He added: “It means that Socialism is out for good in Victoria.”