SWEEPING VICTORY

Wairarapa Daily Times, 13 June 1932, Page 5

SWEEPING VICTORY

FOR ANTI-LANG FORCES IN NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTION. Press Association Electric Telecraph—Copyright SYDNEY, Sunday. In tho New South Wales election, held yesterday, the Stevens Government secured a sweeping victory. It will probably have Go seats in tho new House, and the Langites 25. When the checking of primary votes ceased to-night, the stato of parties appeared to be:— United Australia Party .... 40 United Country Party 23 Unity Party 2 Labour 25 Other parties and groups 0 What is described as the Unity Party consists of candidates supporting the Government policy and endorsed by either the United Australia Party or the United Country Party for the same electorate. Tavo such candidates are already elected. Tho state of parties in the last Parliament was:— -State Labour 55 Nationalists 21 Country Party 14

Thus -Stato Labour has lost 30 seats, the United Australia Party has gained 21 seats, and tile United Country Party nine. There was not one United Australia -or Country Party supporter defeated even in city industrial constituencies. A tremendous swing from Labour was apparent. Mr Stevens will meet the new Parliament at the head of fi United Government pledged to adherence to the Premiers’ Plan with the unparalleled majority of, roughly, 40. Certainly a couple of scats arc still in doubt, but the odds are definitely against Labour.

Seats which had hitherto been regarded as impregnable Labour strongholds rejected Lang -candidates in one of the heaviest polls on record. Labour has virtually been expelled from representation in the country. The Premier, Mr Stevens, had a comfortable win at Croydon, where he was opposed by a Labour -stalwart, Mr Eldridge, a former Federal member of the Beasley group. High hopes were entertained at Labour headquarters of unseating Mr Stevens, who, however, won by 6450. The former Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bavin, received a handsome majority at Gordon, of 12,G67. The Country Party leader and deputyPremier, Mr M. Bruxner, was returned unopposed. SEATS RETRIEVED. SYDNEY, Sunday. Some of the Metropolitan seats won by Labour at the last election on narrow margins have been retrieved by United Party candidates with substantial majorities. The Bondi seat is a ease in point. Mr Thomas (United) has an absolute majority of 4347 over the retiring Langite, Mr Lands. Another instance is North Sydney, where Mr Primrose, Mayor of the municipality, ousted the Langite, Mr Howe, by nearly two thousand votes. The Drummoyne seat has been Avon back by Mr Lee (United) from the Langite, Mr McLelland. Georges River was recovered from Labour by Mr Monro (United) by over two thousand.

The RandAviek contest, in AA-hich there was a lot of interest, has reverted to United, Avhose nominee, Mr Moverly, practically an unknoAvn man, defeated tho Langite, Mr Flanagan, by 780. Ryde has given LLiited another seat. Mr Spooner, also a new man in politics, triumphed there over the retiring Labourite, Mr A. E. Davies, by 4443, with the preferences still undistributed. A similar state of things occurred at Waverley, 'Concord and Hurstville, AA’hcre the retiring Labourites appeared to be unbeatable.

The defeat at Kogarah of Mr Gosling, former Chief Secretary, Avho re-intro-duced the tin hares and fruit machines, Avas not generally anticipated, and created considerable comment. His chief opponent, Mr (T. C. Ross (United) has at present a lead of 1346, and when the preferences of the Federal Labourite are distributed, it is expected that Mr Gosling will go doAvn by over lavo thousand.

The Petersham result, where the At-torney-General, Mr Lamaro, is well behind his nearest opponent, Mr Solomon (United), created a. surprise in Labour circles, since Lamaro is believed to be one of the strong men in Lang’s team, lie played rather an unpopular part after the Governor’s dismissal of Mr Lang, and by his adverse comment on judicial decisions incurred the displeasure of the legal fraternity. The story concerning the country electorates can bo summed up as an utter rout of Labour. Quite a number of Labour men who enjoyed personal popularity, and who would be ordinarily difficult to unseat, paid the penalty of their servility to Langism, so-called, and the spoils of the victor have gone to the United parties, as their leaders prognosticated. The Country Party, who were given a rather open field, have profited to the tune of nine seats, and only a couple of seats remain in doubt. One of these is Bathurst, where the sitting Langite, Mr Kelly, is having the closest contest with the United candidate, Mr Wilkins. The odds favour the latter. Bathurst is a large railwaymen’s centre. The Maitland seat, hitherto a Labour stronghold, has been lost by the Labourite, Mr O’Hearn, and the adjoining seat, Upper Hunter, has been wrested from Labour in a most decisive manner. Lang’s Minister of Lands, Mr Tully, who has the strong Goulburn railway centre, has suffered defeat by over a thousand. All Riverina seats, hitherto held by Labour, have been won by either United or Country nominees. According ;to overnglit returns, Lab-

our seems to have lost sixteen scats in tho city and fourteen in the country, which Avliolly exceeded expectations. The doubtful seats are Canterbury and -Illawarra. The retiring members definitely defeated are:—Metropolitan area, Labour, Messrs Butler, Byrne, Cahill, Connors, Clementson, E. Davies, Ely, Flanagan, Gosling, lloAve, Kinsolla, Lamaro, Lauda, McDieken, McLelland. Country: Labour, Messrs Clarke, Donovan, Dunn, Fitzgerald, Flannerty, Folster, Iload, Keast, Martin, McLelland, O’Hearn, Scully, Tully. Sceens of tremendous enthusiasm greeted the- announcement of progress figures. Largo croAA T ds listened to radio broadcasts in the streets at various centres, particularly after places of entertainment had closed. In no pre\ T ious election has rvireless jfiayed such a large part. It was impossible for anyone outdoors not to bo aAA-are of the progress poll. > VOTES CAST FOR PARTIES. (Received Monday, 9.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The total votes cast for the parties when the counting a\’Us closed yesterday was as folloAvs: — United Parties 1642,973 Lang Labour 496,762 Federal Labour 53,230 Communist 10,907 Independent 21,000 The votes counted at the same stage, of the 1930 election Avere as folloAA r : — Nationalist and Country Party 487,593 Labour 676,202 Australian Party 24,620 Communist 9,511 Independent > 12,126 MR STEVENS DELIGHTED. (Received Monday, 9.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Mr B. S. B. Stevens stated: “As Preliner of the United Government, I am delighted with the complete expression of confidence in our Government, indicated by Saturday’s ovenvhelming victory. I consider it a victory for democracy. I am confident that the result of this election will be immediately felt, both oA’erscas and in Australia. ’ ’ MR LANG’S VIEWPOINT. (Received Monday, 9.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Mr J. T. Lang commented: —-“The people have given their judgment upon the ease as they saAV it ; and because we believe that the people alone shall govern avo accept their verdict. I sincerely hope that the amount of suffering to be borne along the road that the people liaA’e chosen to go will not be as great as I fear it will be. The Labour Party Avill continue to fight as tenaciously as ever, awaiting the hour, which will come sooner than is expected, when the Labour Party again Avill be called upon to lead oaat fellow Australians out of the Avilderness. The policy of suppression and distortion, adopted by the Metropolitan Press, succeeded in misleading the people, and the electors have voted for -this policy Avithout-.real-ising its frightful consequences.” “A GREAT MORAL TRIUMPH.” (Received Monday, 9.55 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. “Considering that Mr Lang some 18 months ago secured oA'er four to one of the votes polled, and his majority was not far short of ten thousand, I feel I can claim a great moral triumph,” said Mr Coleman. “I was handicapped by threats, intimidation and terrorism, which included the employment cf a gang to assault my workers during the campaign. I more than once Avas threatened personally. Langism is a most pernicious and destructive influence in politics.” MUCH RELIEVED. (Received Monday, 9.55 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Mr H. Gordon Bennett, President of the -Chamber of Manufacturers of New South Wales, stated that manufacturers felt much relieved at tho result, for they foresaAV, if the Lang Party AA’ere returned, the gradual destruction of their industries for the purpose of socialisation. “Tho result gives us a neAV lease of life and new hopes for a rapid recovery of our lost trade,” he said. DOUBTFUL SEATS. (Received Monday, 12.1 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Tho state of the parties is unchanged. Tho decision in the Canterbury electorate is still very doubtful. Marrickwile, IllaAvarra and BankstOAvn are also in doubt, but it is expected that the Langites Avill Avin these. Granville is likcAvise undecided, but it is anticipated that the seat Avill go to the United Party.