SETBACK FOR THE U.A.P.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 126, 14 June 1937, Page 9

SETBACK FOR THE U.A.P.

Victorian Legislative Ccumcil Election GAIN TO LAB0UR 1 j *. MELBOURNE, June 13. ; j, The keenest interest for years was : !? i takeu in the triennial election for the | [Legislative Couiicii on Saturday. For 1 Hhe first time voting was cQmpulsory on ,a ratepaye.rs * fi'attiae. The prihcipal 'issue was the Country Party Governmeut's proposal to reforin the Upper Houso which was strongly re.sisted, by the United AustraJia Party whifh claimed that the reforin proposals uioant the abolition of the couacU in accordanc.o with the Labour Party j Wishes. I Iu view of the f act that the Govern- j ment is retainihg offiqe oaly with Laboiir's suuport iu the Legislative Assembly Ihe United AUstralia Party, which is the ofiicial .Opposition, feared the Governmcnt'a reform measurcs •were merey a first step towards the ostablishment of a one-chamber Goiernmeut. ' Counting as far as it had pro.ceeded on Saturday night indicatea that the Governmcnt'a position has been greatly strongthened, the probable state of the parties boiug: — United Australia Party .... 17 Country Party .. 10 Labour . . . . • 5 Independent ............ 2 ( Previously the figurea^were: United | Australia Party, 21; Country Party, 10; I Labour, 3; Independent, 3. i The features of the election were the \ defeat of H011. H. I. Cohen, U.A.P, Op- j position leader in the Conncil and Hon. Russell Clwk*, a U.A-P. member for ma»y ycafi. 1