SECOND BALLOT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 288, 6 December 1933, Page 7

SECOND BALLOT

N.S.W. UPPER HOUSE. LANG PARTY SUFFERS. SYDNEY, Nov. 23. Th c second ballot for the election of 15 members of the newly-constituted Upper House in New South Wales turned out very much as anticipated except for the fact that tho Lang Labour Party secured the election of only four of its members instead of six. The Labour vote had been regimented in such a manner that the leaders were confident that their tactics would ensure the defeat of all Labour candidates who did not give their support to Mr. Lang, and it was a great blow to them to discover that two Federal Labour men had won goats, at the expense of two Lang men who had been placed high in thc “ticket.” There was a similar result in the first ballot. As a result of the two ballots held so far the Government has 18 supporters in thc new House. Lang Labour has eight, Federal Labour has three, and there is on o Independent. There is c\f?ry reason to suppose that thc ratio will be maintained during the two elections that have still to take place, and that the Government will have a substantial majority in thc Council. The outstanding feature of the first two ballots has been the solid support given by the Country Party voters for their candidates within the Government list. While there was no Government “ticket.” there was undoubtedly some indication given of tho candidates generally preferred for the higher places in thc balloting. What “plumping” there has been appears chiefly in the voting of the Country members to secure representation of rural interests, and by the Langites. Candidates representing the United Australian Party predominate in the ballot papers, and this results in a wider distribution of the first preference, or primary votes. If the Government attempted a stern regimentation of votes it would probably meet trouble at the hands of members of the old Council, who are among the voters. Many members of tho old Council are of the old political school, and it is a political tradition with them that they are non-party men. They would not tolerate dictation.

’Defections from thc Lang Party are plainly serious, and they arc causing grave concern at headquarters at the Sydney Trades Hall. The Government has exercised to thc utmost its powers to secure the secrecy of the ballot, and this has been of great assistance to those members of the Labour Party who are inclined to kick over the traces, but arc afraid to do so publicly, for they know what the consequences would ‘be. Their fate, politically, would be scaled for all time. The failure of Mr. D. Rocs to secure election is a bitter pill, and is expected to create an awkward position in thc next two ballots. It is known that the party managers are determined to bring about his success as a reward for the part he played in thc famous Bulli election, when he did much to help the return of the Lang candidate, and to placate the miners, who have shown signs of revolt against the Inner Group. Mr. Rees will have to be included in thc next “ticket,” which means a complete rearrangement of plans. If the Lang Labour members had faithfully voted thc “ticket” the party would have returned at least five members at each ballot. Thc failure of Mr. Rees is taken as an indication that a number of the miners’ Parliamentary representatives failed to vote for him. His supporters expected that he would receive at least nine primary votes, which would have made his election certain. There has been “disloyalty” somewhere, and this has engendered a great deal of bitterness in Lang circles. It is likely, therefore, tha' there will be serious repercussions when th e balloting is over. Thc inability of Mr. Lang to secure the endorsement of his candidates is likely to affect his prestige, and will tend to weaken further the disciplinary powers of th 0 ruling faction at thc Trades Hall.