AUSTRALIAN LABOUR MAJORITIES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 793, 16 April 1910, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN LABOUR MAJORITIES.

Iff BOTH CHAMBERS. FIVE STATES CARRIED ON SENATE VOTE. NEW SOUTH WALES,, SWEPT. Pγ Telesraph—Press Association—Oopyriiht (E«c. April 16, 0.45 a.m.) Sydney, April 15. Revised returns of the Commonwealth general election, covering all the States, show that the state of parties in the new House of Representatives (75 members) will be as under:— ' Labour party „.„..._._..__. 44 Fusion Government _.„.,„.„...„.. 31 Labour majority .... 13 In the election of eighteen Senators (i.e., half the Senate, three from each of the six States), the election of the Labour candidates is abso.lute in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania; while in Queensland, so far, two Fusion Government candidates and one Labour candidate head the poll. The above cablegram indicates that, of the eighteen Senators, sixteen will probably be Labour men and two Government members, Of the sitting eighteen Senators, thirteen are Government and five Labour; therefore the strength of parties In the new Senate should be:— Labour party _ _ 21 Fusion Government ................... 15 Labour majority ™.~.. 6

NOT A GLASS POLICY. A NATIONAL NOTE SOUNDED BY ME. FISHES. A LABOTO MINISTRY'S TASK. By Telegrnph-Preis Association-Copyright Brisbane, April IS. Mr. Andrew Fisher, Leader of the Labour \Party, interviewed, said he desired to thank the people for their vote in favour of bis party. Labour's policy, he declared, was a national one. Labour was anxious to safeguard every interest in the States and Commonwealth. The people seemed to be more Australian than their representatives in Parliament. He was happy to think the Labour party had in some slight way given them an opportunity to express their national feel-' ings.v •''... ... The task which would be set the new Government, added Mr. Fisher, was not a light one, and must be faced with determination; and courage. : MR. DEAKIN'S FALLEN FRIENDS. A BELIEF THAT HE WILL RESIGN., Melbourne, April 15. In an interview, Mr. Deakin, head, of the Fusion Government, said the re- ; jectioa of old and cherished comrades was hard to bear. Indeed, in such circumstances public life ceased to be worth living from his personal point.of: view. ,' ' : ! He had never been sanguine with regard to the result of the election, owing to the lack of patriotio interest in and of trustworthy information upon the greatissues involved. The lesson taaght was that hencoforward the Liberals cannot ruly on.obtaining a full poll upon mere extemporary preparations just prior to a contest.' The education of the indifferent and uninformed would have to be undertaken in advance, and systematically pursued.

It is probable that a Cabinet meeting will bo held early nest week, when the situation will be reviewed in the light of the final returns! The impression is that Mr. Deakin will resign and advise that Mr: Fisher be' sent for. GOVERNMENT IMPROVEMENT IN VICTORIA. Melbourne, April 15. The outlook of Government candidates in Victoria had considerably improved. The return of the Prime Minister, Mr. Deakin, at Ballarat, and of Sir John Quick, Postmast-er-General, at Bendigo, is considered safe. With regard to the position of Mr. Robert Harper (Government candidate) at Meruda, and Dr. Carty Salmon (Speaker) , at Laanecoorie, whose seats were reported yesterday to be in danger from Labour 'candidates, it is now ireported that they are likely to make good. • The same report is made concerning the candidature of Mr. W. H. Irvine (Government) for .Flinders, where he is opposed by Mr. A. F. Buckley (Lab.), and Mr. T. M. M'lnerney (Independent).' '. . ... LABOUR WAVE IN NEW SOUTH WALES. SUCCESS IN BOTH HOUSES. (Rec. April 16, 0.45 a.m.) Sydney, April 15. The return of Allen M'Pougall, Albert Gardiner, and Arthur Rae, the Labour buuch for the Senate seats in New South Wales, is assured. The poll has been very heavy, and is a record for the State. .

In the last House of Representatives the Fusion Government held 14 seats for New South Wales and Labour held 13, but in the new House the Fusionists have dwindled to.nine, while Labour has jumped to 18. INCOMPLETE REFERENDUM. "YES" ON BOTH ISSUES. > Sydney, April 15. In connection with the referendum issues (Shall the Braddon Clause be replaced by an annual payment to the States on the basis of 255. per head of population? and —Shall the proposed transfer of the State debts to the Commonwealth be upproved?), further figures show a 'margin for "Yes" on both issues, but tho bulk of tho votes aro still to be counted. NEW PROTECTION'S FALLACY. EXCLUSIONIST POLICY. London, April 14. The "Westminster Gazette" (Liberal) says:—"Li the past the Labour party aimed at the exclusion of men and goods. We shall now see how the policy will take shape in its legislation. '"The New Protection is a special nlarm of Australia's wealth. There is a fundamental fallacy in arguing that the manufacturers should only bo protected so loug as they hand the greater part of their increased profit to the workers." APPROVAL OF SINGLE-DAY ELECTION. London, April 14. • The "Pall Mall Gazette" says:— "Great Britain's growing interest in her dominions « shown by, the R,gace_

the press is devoting to the Australian elections. It is very sensible to complete the election in a single day." ' A DIFFERENCE OF PACE, NOT OF PRINCIPLE. THE FUSION AN OIL-AND-WATER AFFAIR. ~-" •■, '' (Eec. April 15, 9.50 p.m.) London, April 15. Many Australians in London are greatly surprised at the result of the Federal elections. ' ■■■,■.. Those interviewed agree thai no great change in the Commonwealth's policy is likely. They 'describe the difference between the majority and the minority as one rather of pace than of principle ' They further emphasise ■Khat capital will be not so alarmed, and they recall the Labour party's Imperialist spirit in connection with the Australian Navy and compulsory service. One Australian remarked, that the interesting point was not what the Labour Government were going to do, for all Governments in Australia do practically the same thing, but how they attained the position. Another summarises the Fuskmist situation by saying that one cannot mis oil and water. . • LABOUR JUBILANT. HOPES TO TREAT MR. WADE LIKE i MR. DEAKIN. Sydney, April 15., At the Sydney Labour Council meeting the speakers included a number of successful candidates. The speeches were jubilant in tone, and the speakers evidently contemplated a term of office. Mr J. C. Wilson, formerly Federal Labonr Leader, expressed himself'overjoyed at the unexpectedly/' overwhelming victory. He attributed the slump in the Fusion Government's stock to the revolt of thS majority against the policy of "marking time" and mero negation. He predicted that Labour would secure a majority at the forthcoming New South Wales elections.. . London, April 14. The executive of the Labour party has cabled, congratulating the Australian Labour party on the magnificent Tesult of the Federal elections. ;

The secretary of. the" Wellington Trades Council, has forwarded a congratulatory—oabb- message to "Mr. Cochrane, secretary of the Sydney Trades Council, who has been returned at a by-election for the Brunswick seat in tho New South. Wales Assembly.

Mr. W. T. Young, as secretarj , of ffie Seamen's Union, has forwarded congratulatory messages to Mr. .Andrew Fisher on the. success »of the Federal , Labour party at the elections, and to Mr. J. Verran, Leader of .the State Labour party of South Australia. Mr. Young , has also sent a congratulatory message to Mr. M'Gowen and the Sydney District Labour Council on the success of the Labour candidates at the State by-elections for Darling Harbour and : the Hunter; and to Senator R. S. Gnthrie, General President of the Australian Seamen's Executive Council, on his re-election to the Federal Senate for the State of South Australia.

, MR. ANDREW FISHER. ..-4 .... „~— :

PROBABLE PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA. Everything at present points to the probability that Mr. Andrew Fishor, whose photograph -we publish:to-day, will soon head the third Labour Minisr try of tno Commonwealth. "Mr. Fisher," wrote a Dominion correspondent some time ago, "is very cautious, quite unlike the ordinary notion of the Labour leader. In this respect, he takes after Mr. Watson, though the latter is not a Scotchman. Like him, Mr. Fisher never speaks unless it is necessary to do so; like him, also, he is Eelf-repressive, never ■ pushing himself into tup limelight, never seekine to attract attention to himself in the councils of the party unless he finds it absolutely necessary for the benefit of the cause. Men like Watson and Fisher are the heroes of .their principles, ready to do or 'dare anything for them, and entirely without a trace of-self-interest or self-seeking. It would be well for othsr parties looming largely across the face of politics to-day if they learned some lessons in organisation and discipline, from the Labour section of the House."

The following appreciation by an admirer of Mr. Fisher is of interest at the present moment:—"Andrew Fisher bails ■ from the same county in Scotland that produced Bobbie Bums, the poet of tho people. He was born at Crosshouse. Ayrshire, in tho year 1862, and after receiving Us rudimentary education in the public school of his native town commenced life- as a wage-earner in the coal-mines at the early age of ten years. 'When 22 he left Anld Scotia for sunny Queensland and worked as a miner at the Burrum and on the Gympiu goldfields. . , , "In 1893 the miners, in recognition of his valuable services to the cause of Labour, elected him to the State Parliament ne senior member for Gymhut a bosses' reign of terror against tho employees in tho mines and other places defeated him in 1896. Not a whit discouraged by hie defeat at the polls, ho set to work, and with others established the Gjmpto 'Truth, , and whr.u the 1899 election was over Andy Fisher was once more senior member

"The same year the short-lived Dawson Ministry, the first Labour Government in the world, was called, to office, and included in it was Andy as Minister ■ for Works. In 1901, when the first' Commonwealth elections took place, Wide Bay electors gave expression to the esteem in. which they held him by translating him to a. higher plane in. political life, and electing him as their member in the first House of Representatives. Since then Mr. Fisher has fought two otherelection contests, in 1903 and. 1906, and each time the electors have renewed their confidence m hits bj sending him back to the Federal Parliament, and in all probability they will do the same in 1910. ■"..-. "Besides having the trust of the electors, Mr. Fisher has also the unbounded confidence- of his Parliamen-. tary colleagues, so much so, that he was unanimously chosen as a member of the Watson Government in 1904, in Which Ministry he held the portfolio or Trade and Customs, and in 1908 he had the distinguished ■ honour of becoming Prime Minister of the Australian Commonwealth and of holding the portfolio of Treasurer in the • Labour Government until it was defeated by the treachery of Alfred Deakin. Without a blemish in the whole of hk political career, Mr. Fisher is the persons fication of all that stands for purity in politics and honesty in ■ Government." •■■ v.

PERSONAL REMINISCENCES, WOBK AND POLITICS ' Mr. E. J. Carey, President of the Wellington Trades and Labour Council, has known. Mr. Andrew Fisher, the leader of the victorious Federal Labour party, for many years, and thinks very highly of him. In conversation with a Dominion reporter yesterday, Mr. Carey eaid he remembered Mr. Fisher coming to Gympie, Queensland, many yeare ago, and taking the position of enginedriver at the Ellen-Harking mints. Incident With the Solfflere. : Mr. Fisher "took to the < as a member of the Workers' Political | Association, and Mr. Carey rraaembo' ed his first public speech. It was when 1 the Eoldiera were sent up from Brie.

; bane by way. of Gympie to B3rcaldine in connection with the shearers' strike.', The miners assembled at the Gympie ' Railway Station in a fakiy large crowd, , and threatened trouble. It was then* that Mr ; Fisher showed his diplomacy' and" judgment., .'-.', : [ ■ '.. ' ■ '■ . '"I remember ,him telling them," said Mr. Carey, "that it was no use spilling blood,, and; that if they had a grievance; the place to seek the remedy was/ within the. four'walls of Parliaments He and his colleague, Mr. George Ryland, not only • succeeded in preventing any serious trouble, but they were also able to dissuade eeveral of the locali volunteers! who contemplated joining the regular troops and going on to Barcaldine, from carrying out that intention. '"'■'. .■-'■■"'.

"His election to the State Assembly came in 1893, soon after'the tennina- ■' tion of the strike. He mairied a Gym- 1. pie girl, and, prior to' his entry intol i Federal politics, he always lived at' Gympie. I knew him when, as a result of his' soap-bos agitation, he oould not get a job, and had to do a bit of' fossicking '. for himself. : After■ his defeat by Mr. Jacob Stumm(his present; opponent) in the. Federal election, he was hard pressed for chances of env- : ployment, but eventually succeeded in ■'■: getting, the position of auditor to the Gympio Town Council. . '.'■■'. : . Not an Orator. "Mr. Fisher is not an orator, but his earnostncss was recognised from the beginning of his career. His electorate ombraces, besides the towns of Maryborough and Gympie, a large number. ~ of country'places, where farming and j cane-growing are the main industries, -.■ and as farming' constituencies are gen- : erally taught to believe that the prin-v ciples held by such as Mr. Fisher, are inimical to their interests, his success is all the more creditable to himself.