REFERENDA POLL IN AUSTRALIA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20671, 9 March 1937, Page 7

REFERENDA POLL IN AUSTRALIA

DEFEAT OF BOTH PROPOSALS REACTION IN FEDERAL CIRCLES PRIME MINISTER’S VIEWS CHALLENGED United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, March 8. A feature of the poll on the proposed amendments to the Constitution was the large number of informal votes cast. The total for the Commonwealth was 124,784 in the case of aviation, and 219,107 in the case of marketing. Mr J. A. Lyons said: “It was an antiFederation vote; there can be no denying that. There is a spirit of antiFederation abroad to-day. This is the attitude of the Australia people, and it is no good trying to misconstrue it.” The Latest Figures The latest figures are:— Aviation Yes 1,510,790 No 1,360,643 Marketing Yes 959,628 No 1,817,482 EFFECT OF THE VERDICT AMAZING SITUATION CREATED United Press Association— By Sl?clrie Tetearaph - Conyrlelv (Received March 8, 11.15 p.m.) CANBERRA, Marell 8 The defeat of the aviation proposal at the referendum, creates an amazing position, declared the Controller of Civil Aviation (Captain E. G. Johnson ). "Anybody,” said Captain Johnson, “can fly without a license in an unairworthy machine, provided he does not fly Inter-State for commercial purposes. The Commonwealth's powers, as hitherto, are limited to the control of aviation in territories and in relation to trade and commerce between the States, and with other nations. The Commonwealth cannot deal except in a very limited way with civil flying within a single State." ENGLISH PRESS COMMENT PRIME MINISTER'S DICTUM QUESTIONED United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph-Copyright (Received March 8, 11.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 8 "The Times" in a leader says: "There is no need to accept without important reservations Mr Lyons's dictum that voting in the Commonwealth referenda reveals an amazing antiFederal spirit. There are other causes for the decision, although one amendment would doubtless have been accepted if it had not been for the widespread discontent, especially among the smaller States, over the working of the Federal system. Neither amendment could be said to give the Government any power it was not believed to possess,

"The Daily Telegraph,” in a leader, says: “The referendum is a device which usually favours no change. It gives electors an opportunity to remind the Federal Government that they and not the Ministers are masters, and as an adverse verdict does not entail the overthrow of the Government a negative vote can be cast with a light heart. REPORTED POLITICAL REACTION LESSONS FROM REFERENDA FIGURES United Press Association—By Klw»<lc Telegraph—Copyright (Received March 8, 10.55 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 8. The latest referenda figures, revealing a further swing against the marketing proposals, are reported to be causing embarrassment in Federal political circles. In every Country Party electorate the "No” majority on marketing has increased. It is reported from several States that a large number of electors deliberately made their votes informal. A message from Canberra states that the United Australia Party members will insist on the people’s verdict being accepted. They will refuse to consider any alternative proposal for the imposition of excise in marketing. Reason For Referendum The Commonwealth Government’c marketing powers were upset last year by tfie decision of the Privy Council in the “dried fruits case," an appeal which challenged the right of the Commonwealth Government to regulate the dried fruits trade on a quota system, compelling growers to send part of their produce overseas, so as to retain a certain local price level. The decision of the Privy Council against the Government also affected the quota system as applied to the marketing of dairy products and wheat. The Government later decided to hold a referendum, asking assent to an amendment to section 92 of the Federal Constitution, to restore to the Government the power to regulate the export trade in dried fruits, wheat and other products. The question of aviation was added to the referendum because It was felt that the Commonwealth Government required additional powers, particularly to enable co-ordination of civil and 'military aviation for defence.