Labour Will Have 46 Seats On Federal Treasury Benches.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18888, 14 October 1929, Page 11

Labour Will Have 46 Seats On Federal Treasury Benches.

N.S.W. AND VICTORIA VOTE SOLIDLY AGAINST GOVERNMENT MR BRUCE’S SEAT NOW SAFE.

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received October 14, 1,5 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 14. THE latest returns show that, of the thirteen doubtful seats, Labour is likely to win eight, giving them forty-six seats (a clear majority) in the new Parliament. In Darling Downs (Queensland) the former Speaker, Sir Littleton Groom, standing as an Independent Nationalist, defeated the selected Nationalist, Mr A. C. Morgan,, who was expected to win. Mr E. H. Mann, one of the break-aways who voted with Mr Hughes against the Government on the arbitration measure, was defeated in Perth as an Independent Nationalist. The return of the Prime Minister (Mr Bruce) is now beyond doubt, later figures being mostly in his favour. A review of the whole position shows that both New South Wales and Victoria voted solidly against the Government, and in these States Labour will gain four or five seats. The Government is in danger of also losing seats in Tasmania and South Australia, hut it may succeed in holding its position in Queensland and Western Australia. In not one case did the National or Country Parties succeed in taking a seat from Labour.

The “Sydney Morning Herald,” editorially, says: “The swing to Labour was sooner or later bound to come. It is remarkable that the Australian electorate at large, traditionally fickle, should have remained for so long constant to one party, or to one combination of parties. It is nearly thirteen years since a Labour Ministry sat on the Federal Treasury benches, and never before has Labour been so emphatically approved at aii appeal for popular confidence. Mr Bruce’s courageous policy has been defeated, but only for the day. The country will learn in due course that he is right.”—Australian Press Association.