"The Victorian Elections

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21413, 4 March 1935, Page 10

"The Victorian Elections

The success of the Argyle Ministry in the Victorian elections is an interesting indication of the trend of political opinion in Australia, a sign, perhaps, that the political lessons of the depression years have sunk deep into the public mind. Sir Stanley Argyle is not an inspiring figure and his Government has no spectacular achievements to its credit. It has stuck doggedly to the task of reducing the budget deficit, it has kept unemployment expenditure to a minimum, it has withstood the demand for a full restoration of public service salary cuts, and it has refused to borrow on a large scale. The Ministerial elec-

tion speeches have been very sober reading, mere records of a slow but steady improvement in the State linances and in general prosperity. In contrast to the Premier's guarded assurance that taxes would be reduced if the budgetary improvement continued, the Labour party made generous promises of work for all unemployed at standard rates, full restoration of public service salaries, reduction of interest charges on State indebtedness, and increased expenditure on social services. The electorate, with a wisdom that is almost cynical, has voted overwhelmingly for the certainty of honest, efficient, economical, and cautious government. One incident during the election campaign may have strengthened its preference for the Government candidates. The Crown Employees' Federation announced early in February that its membens were being instructed to vote against any candidate refusing to pledge himself to support increases in public service salaries and wages, a threat which the Ministers and most of the Government candidates ignored. There is some evidence that the public realised how disastrous the consequences might have been, both for political morality and for the discipline of the public service, had the Government yielded to the federation's demands.