AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 23699, 5 October 1940, Page 12

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

ONLY ONE SEAT UNDECIDED STATE OF PARTIES AT PRESENT EOUAL SYDNEY, October 4. With only one Federal seat undecided—Maranoa, in Queensland—which is a likely gain by Labour, it is now possible to survey what happened at the recent Federal elections. The state of parties remains 136 all, with two Independents.

New South Wales electorates revealed a heavy swing to Labour, who won 16 out of 28 seats, taking five from the Government parties. Labour also won one scat in Victoria, and seems certain of winning the last undecided seat, Maranoa. Its losses arc two in Tasmania and one in South Australia. Labour’s net gains are thus four seats throughout the Commonwealth. Here and there in a fight between rival Labour factious official Labour has triumphed at the expense of the Beasley non-Communist group, whose numbers are diminished to four in the House of Representatives. The bickerings which preceded the elections have now died out, and it is expected that when the line-up takes place in the House Labour will present a united front.

In all States other than "New South Wales there was no noticeable swing to Labour. The Government’s majority, however, would have entirely disappeared but for the unexpected rally in Tasmania, where two Labour scats reverted to the United Australia Party. The position in Western Australia is “ as you were,” but the tragic death this week of “ Texas ” Green in Kalgoorlie, although it brings Labour’s total seats back to 35, does not dispose of the fact that the seat will again go to Labour. Outstanding features of the election were the return of Dr Evatt in Barton, New South Wales, by a heavy majority over a strong opponent, and the close call experienced by the Federal Labour leader, Mr J. Curtin, whose majority in Fremantle, with 60,000 voters, was only 604.