"THE NOES HAVE IT."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1113, 28 April 1911, Page 5

"THE NOES HAVE IT."

i ■ AUSTRALIAN REFERENDUM. LIBERALS JUBILANT. VICTORY FOR COMMON-SENSE. THE NEXT MOVE. By TclccraDh--Presß Association-Copyriclit. (Kac. April 27, 9.30 p.m.) Sydney, April 27. Excepting West Australia, where "Yes" maintains the lead on both issues, later referenda returns have materially strengthened the position of the "Noes." The Liberals are jubilant over the result. The organiser of the party claims it as a victory of the common sense of the real democracy of the country over the extremists of tho Labour party. Mr. Chris. Watson, the Labour leader, on the other hand, claims that the triumph is due to the immense financial resources at tho disposal of the opponents of Labour. He says ho believes a majority of the people, if the question was placed clearly before them, would favour the proposed amendments of the Constitution. Mr. Hughos, the Acting-Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, considers that one of the most remarkable features of the referendum is the smallness of the poll in New South Wales. Ho says not more than fifty per cent, of those who voted at the April elections went to the poll. Mr. Carmichael, Assistant-Minister to the New South Wales Treasury, holds that only two courses are open now. Either the Federal Ministers must modify their proposals, and bring them within tho Labour platform, or they must agitate for a pronounced and emphatic remodelling of the Constitution, so as to give the Federal Parliament the full functions of an Australian Parliament. Mr. Holman (State Attorney-General and Acting-Premier) said it would now be necessary to see what steps should be taken to give the Federal Parliament the necossary additional powers. This, he says, can be done in conformity with tho Labour platform. The referenda proposals were against that platform. Liberal leaders express satisfaction at the result of the polling so far. PRESS OPINIONS. "LABOUR HAS OtER-STEPPED THE MARK." Sydney, April 27. Tho "Sydney Morning Herald" says:— ''The State common sense was out to win steadily, though not in a sensational fashion. The polling was disappointing, considering the issues at stake. It would have been more satisfactory had a higher percentage voted, but it is evident that the problems were too abstract for the average man, there being a general inability to understand the enormous responsibility tho referendum throws on electors. In the judgment of the majority, Labour has over-stepped the mark; as soon <is it learns the limitations of the strength of unionism the more tolerable it is likely to become."

The "Daily Telegraph" comments on the lack of interest, which, it says, does not augur brightly for the successful working of the referendum principle. "This is tho first British community to try the experiment which has not luen justified by results in tho way of eliciting a fullvoiced verdict of the people. However, it. is certain anti-socialistic sentiment'is still predominant, and a plain suggestion is that the socialistic success at the last Federal election was largely the result of a fluke." ' POINTS ABOUT THE VOTING. COMPARATIVELY LIGHT. Sydney, April 27. The Barrier, the strongest Labour district in the State, was the only place where the supporters of "Yes" were in an overwhelming majority, tho voting beingYes 5,426 No .- 991 North Sydney, a powerful Liberal constituency, was the strongest "No" centre, the polling beingYes 3,740 No • 12,110 The voting on tho wholo was comparatively light, but was apparently, to a certain extent, on party lines, although many electorates won with small majorities by Labour at the general election voted "No."