N.S.W. ELECTIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18158, 24 October 1930, Page 8

N.S.W. ELECTIONS.

A BITTER CAMPAIGN. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE POLLS. FEDERAL CABINET MARKING TIME. United' Press Assn. — Tel. Copyright. (Received Oct. 24, 1.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, Oct. 24. The polling for the New South Wales elections to-morroKv is an event of outstanding political signiflcapce. Having regard to Australia s grave financial plight, there never has been a campaign in which the issue was so vital, a’nd never before has the rest of Australia looked forward so anxiously to the outcome. It has been oft times stated lately that New South Wales Politics have dominated the rest of the Commonwealth which is possibly duo to the overwhelming influence wielded by the Premier Hon. T. R. Bavin and the treasurer Hon. B. S. B. Stevens in all the recent financial negotiations to right the ship of State. The Federal Labour Ministry, which was expected during the month to announce its forthcoming sessional programme, embodying its scheme for balancing the Budget in accordance with the understandings arrived at in the Melbourne Financial Conference, has done no more than intimate that its plan contemplates savings in public expenditure of £4,500,000 and, according to the Press it is content to wait until after October 25 to see how the oat jumps. It would appear, therefore, that the Federal Ministry has more than a passing interest in the result of the New South Wales elections. i

The Campaign which is now drawing to its close has been noteworthy for its bitterness, its big crop of writs for libel and slander, and the accuracy with which they have found their mark, but above all for its depressing effects upon trade and industry.

Both Sides Confident. Both sides as usual anticipate victory. Labour, by reason of the record unemployment and distress, to sweep the polls in the metropolitan area and the hope is also cherished that some seats in the country will be wrested from their opponents on the strength of the promises to break up the large estates, expend. £1,000,000 on the provision of a wheat guarantee, and closer, settlement. • On the other-hand the Government forces are sanguine of holding their own in the Metropolis and gaining a few seats in’ the country at the expense of Labour. ■ Since the last election in 1927, there has been a redistribution of electoral boundaries, somewhat weakening the position of Labour in the rural constituencies and rendering it difficult to predict what may happen in some urban electorates. However, the Government expects to gain Goulburn, Maitland and Young in the country, while it has hopes of taking concord and Hurstviile from Labour in the city. Three other suburban seats—'Parramatta, Waverley, and Drummoyne (the two latter formerly Government) are in the balance.

Whereas ten days ago there was a strong body of public opinion inclined to favour Labour’s chances of gaining office on the “ borroyv or bust " slogan there is now a consensus of opinion that the anti-Labour forces will again be returned on the com-mon-sense principle of “safety first.” The State of the parties in the last Parliament was:— Nationalists 35 Country Party 13 Independents ........ 2 Labour 40