NEGATIVE VOTE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19267, 8 March 1937, Page 5

NEGATIVE VOTE

AUSTRALIAN PLEBISCITE MEASURES FOR CONTROL MARKETING & AVIATION FEDERAL PLANS REJECTED (Elee. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn ' (Reed.'March 8, 11.30 a.m.) - SYDNEY, Marchl 7. The Commonwealth proposals for the control of aviation and marketing suffered defeat at the Federal referendum poll on Saturday. " The latest figures are:— —Aviation Control. — Yes 1,510,700 No 'L1,360,643 —Marketing Control. — Yes .. .. . .. 959,628 No 1,817,482 A feature of the poll was the large number of informal votes cast. The total for the Commonwealth was 124,784 in the case of the aviation vote and 219,107 in the ease of the marketing vote. Commenting on the referendum, the Prime Minister, Mr. J, A. Lyons,-paid:. ‘‘ I can only say that I feel . the people have made a grave mistake, and that the interests of Australia as a whole will suffer. The Commonwealth and the States art'now left powerless to deal with interstate aspects of organised marketing. The apparent defeat of the aviation proposal can mean nothing but chaos. ” ■ - v■

ANTLFEDERATION SPIRIT

Mr. Lyons said it was an anti-Federa-tion vote. “There can be no denying that there is a spirit of anti-Federation abroad to-day,”he continued. “This is the attitude of the Australian people and >t is no good trying to misconstrue it.” The marketing proposal was Tejected in five States, while early returns from Western Australia also favoured “No.”

The aviation proposal had secured a majority when the votes for all Slates were totalled, but secured a majority in only Victoria and Queensland. Majorities in two more States "would be necessary to carry it. • - To carry either proposal, there must be a majority of people in a majority of the States. Four States must vote “Yes” and there must be a majority for “Yes” all over Australia.

Victoria, the electorate of the Federal Attorney-General, Mr. R. G. Menzies, one of the sponsors of the referendum, rejected the marketing proposals. • •

An aviation majority in Warringnh (New South Wales) is a personal triumph for the Minister of Defence,, Sir Archdale Parkhill, who has sponsored the aviation reform sought in the proposal.

UPROAR IN BOOTH

RUSH OF ELECTORS FIGHT FOR BALLOT BOX MELBOURNE, March 7. Tables, and chairs were overturned; the ballot box and official documents were scattered on the floor, and several hundred persons yelled and jostled in a wild scene at the referendum polling booth at Collingwood, an industrial suburb of Melbourne, on Saturday night.

The scene followed the action of a number of men under the influence of liquor. The presiding official was unable to cope with the rush of electors and became exhausted, and the crowd surged forward and upset his table. A general uproar followed, including many fights. The returning officer, after a fierce struggle, regained the ballot box and polling proceeded.