EAST SYDNEY VICTORY WILL STRENGTHEN LANG

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 76, 9 March 1931, Page 5

EAST SYDNEY VICTORY WILL STRENGTHEN LANG

WON BY LABOUR ?;

POLL AT EAST SYDNEY; GREATLY REDUCED MAJORITY LANG SUPPORTER'S VICTORY PROBLEM FOR MR. SCULLIN SYDNEY, March 8. The East Sydney by-election resulted: Mr E. J. Ward (Labour) 10,102. Mr L. T. Courtenay (Nationalist) 15,284. Mr W. A. Mountjoy (Communist) 579. There remain 1.'.00 postal and approximately 2000 absentee votes to count. It is expected that Mr Ward will win by at least 3000 votes. The fonner member, the late Mr John West, however, won the seat for Labour at the 1029 elections by the overwhelming majority of 14,000 votes. The Nationalists claim that the electors lack sympathy with the Lang financial plan and this was clearly established yesterday by the greatly redueLabour majorityTrades Hall officials regard Mr Ward's victory as a splendid achievement in view of al lthe circumstances. The number of electors enrolled was 40,000. The Sun special representative at Canberra says that the immediate TC " suit of the East Sydney by-election must drive further into the Federal Labour Party by the wedge which already is splitting and disrupting it. The problem now confronting Mr Scullin is whether to admitMr Ward into the counsels of his party when the caucus meets on Thursday, since Sir Ward contested by the election on a policy entirely in conflict with that espoused by the Prime Minister. If Mr Ward is excluded, necessarily Messrs Besley, Elridge and Lazzarihi and Senators Dunn and Rae must also remain outside for they too are on the side of repudiation.

THE PINAL FIGURES. COMMENT BY LEADERS. SYDNEY, March S. The East Sydney by-election final figures are:— Mr Ward .-. 19,975 Mr Courtenay 1(5,333 Mr Montjov 611 Informal" 1,068 Majority for Ward .. 3642 The Premier, Mr J. T. Lang, in a statement said that the result of the contest was a message to all the Australian Governments that the_ people were determined that Australia's interests shall be served at all costs. Mr Ward had won in spite of unprecedented opposition. "The policy _ he fought for must become Australia's policy if our nation is to avoid bankruptcy and degradation," said Mr Lang. Mr" Ward's statement contained an observation that his success amounted to a vindication of Messrs Lang and Besley. Mr T. E. Bavin, Leader of the State Opposition, stated the opinion that the substantial swing of Labour vote to the Nationalists was a definite condemnation of the Lung financial proposals. At the same time it was difficult to understand how anybody could be found to endorse such infamous and ruinous proposals.

LANG INTERVIEWED SOUND AUSTRALIAN SPIRIT EPOCH-MAKING VICTORY (Reed. 11.30 a.m.). SYDNEY, This Day. Mr. Lang, interviewed, said the result of the East Sydney election will give new hope to Australia. It was the sound Australian spirit on which his policy was founded, that gained Mr. Ward his support. "When the people ot" Australia are more fully informed of what the policy of the New South Wales Labour movement means to Australia, they will endorse and support it, even more heartily than the electors of East Sydney," he said. "Mr. Ward's victory is an epochmaking one for Australia, because it means that within a few months the whole economic outlook of our Governments will be changed." TRIUMPH LANG HOW LABOUR VIEWS RESULT (Reed. Noon.) SYDNEY, This Day. The success of Mr. Ward is regarded in Labour circles as a personal triumph for Mr. Lang and a complete vindication of' the State Labour Party's repudiation policy. Supporters of Mr. Theodore consider, the expulsion of the 15 Federal members who defied the State executive is inevitable. Mr. Ward's victory will further strengthen Mr. Lang's position among leagues and unions, and it is considered the Lang faction will be in complete command of the forthcoming metropolitan and Easter conferences, which will decide the fate of Mr. Theodore and his refractory colleagues. Commenting on the result, Mr. Sculliu said it could not be regarded as a declaration by the electors of East Sydney in favour of repudiation, but rather as a decision registered against the Nationalist Party, particularly in view of the fact of the censure motion launched against the Labour Government, and the boast made that the downfall of the Government was imminent. "I am sure." he said, "that the overwhelming majority of supporters who voted for Mr. Ward believe in Australia doing everything possible to honour her obligations." Mr. Theodore said: —"The result does not give a great deal of information to the principal parties concerned. It certainly does not throw much light on the solution of Australia's problems." Mr. Latham said the figures show that even in what is regarded as a safe Labour seat the policy of Mr. Lang is strongly opposed by a very large number of voters.