SWEEPING VICTORY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1932, Page 5

SWEEPING VICTORY

FOR GOVERNMENT LANG PARTY DEFEATED. (Australian Vrest Association.) SYDNEY, Jun e 12. In the New South Wales State election yesterday, the Government secured a sweeping victory and will probably have sixty-five seats in the new House, leaving the Langites ..with twenty-five seats. The defeat of the Lang Labour Party forces was generally expected outside of the ranks of that Party. Both in the City and in the country, there was an unmistakeaMe atmosphere of lurking danger, and an emphatic demand for a return to a policy of sanity and honesty, freedom and of Parliamentary Government. In some quarters the belief was cherished that the Lang Party would more than hold their own, because of a fear on the part of the workers that the ruthless slashing of wages would follow the 'return of the Stevens-Brux-ner Party. The election thus came to be regard* fed aig the most mOfrlentotis one in the history of New South Wales and of the Federation. Tile opponents of Langism made no secret of their fears for the future, All conversation during the brief, but bitter campaign turned | on the political events ’of the past eighteen months, and what might hap- I pen if a renewal of confidence were t to be given to the State Labour Party I Election day could not come quickly [ enough for most peopfle, ri ir^e..minds wore made up a fortnight "ago. The fight resolved itself, into clear cut issues—the acceptance or rejection of the Premiers’ Plan, as in Victoria and Queensland and the imposition, or otherwise, or what has been termed a wealtli levy. Gnmness was written on .every voter's face, and the seriousness of the decisions at the day’s poll was everywhere apparent. A crisis originated with the Governor’s action to send the Ex-Plremier, Mr Lang, for trial before the jury of the people, who have now given their answer in the most convincing manner, determining the. fate of several Ministers in the Lang Administration, and a rout of the rank and file of the Parliamentary Labour Party. • What has happened to the Lang Party is precisely what happened at the late State, election to the anti- J Labour forces. Perhaps the more accentuated in the Langs’ case. A , devastating current of public opinion, which swamped the Lang Party in the, metropolitan area, ■ spread throughout j the State. Pei'sSnat popularity was j Useless irt Stemming that tide,. One . ‘Labourite after another went tinder. | It is bather 'difficult to estimate the probable state 5 of - the parties before I midnight on polliHg Uaya, but on this! occasion nothing wn« left in doubt, ! eo pronounced was the swing to the , Government side throughout the country.

In many metropolitan constituencies Labour’s slogan “Lang i« Right” was turned in all sorts of ways by exuberant victors, perhaps the most appropriate being “Lang is Left.”

Mr Lang himself attributed the debacle to “Prisoners Press Propaganda.” He said that a policy of suppression and distortion had fooled the people, who were now going to suffer. The scenes at the United and Country Party offices were extremely joyour. Mr Stevens, the Premier, was the recipient of all-round band shakes, compliments and felicitations. Businessmen controlling big enterprises were spontaneous in their expressions that there would he a revival of trade and industry as the result of the people’s verdict.

“We never doubted that the heart of Australia rang true,” commented Mr Stevens. “This glorious victory over Langism and dishonesty has proved to the whole, world that Australians stand for probity and integrity. This is no ordinary triumph, It affords a complete sense of satisfaction that we have checkmated forces of evil which have had a strangle-hold on this fair 'State for over eighteen , months.”

THE STATE OF THE PARTIES. GOVERNMENT 65, LABOUR- 25. SYDNEY. June 12. When the checking of the primary votes ceased early this morning, the state of the Parties appeared to be, as follows: United Australia Party 40 United Country Party 23 Unity Party 2 State Labour Party 25 Other Parties and groups 0 The .state of the parties in the last New South Walds Parliament was: State Labour 55 Nationalists 21 Country Party 11 The Federal Labour Party nominees contested forty-three city and country seats. The I’arty’s policy generally conflicted with Mr Lang's being on tin. side of moderation. The Federal Labour Party’s desire, was to see the downfall of the Lang Party, because of the mischief it wrought at the laet Federal election. It had hopes of picking up a cm pie of seats, possibly Mir Lang’s. Although a neck and neck struggle went on at Auburn between Mr Lang and Mr Percy Coleman (Federal Labour), the position was put beyond doubt after midnight, when Mr Lang obtained an absolute majority over Federal Labour adversary of 742, thus assuring his return. Noth-

ing so thrilling has been provided in any previous election. Mr Lang’s majority in 1930 was 8965. The Premier, Mr Stevens, had a comfortable win at Croydon, where he was opposed by a Labour stalwart, Mr Eildridge, a former Federal Member of the Beasley Group. High hopes were entertained at Labour headquarters of unseating Mr Stevens, who, however, won by 6,350. The former Leader of the Opposition Mr Bavin, received a handsome majority at Gordon of 12,667. The Country Party Leader and Deputy-Premier, Mr M. Bruxner, was returned unopposed.

Ministers of the late Lang administration who have fallen by the wayside are: Messrs Tully, Ely, Dunn, Gosling and Lamaro. In fact, so great •is the debacle that only two of Mr Lang’s Ministers at present survive, namely Messrs. Davidson and McKell; while Mr Davies (former Minister of , Education), whoso constituents number I thousands of South Coast miners, looks ' like being defeated. Even in the city industrial constituencies, a tremendous swing from the State Labour Party is apparent. Mr Steven.i will meet the new Parliament at the head of the United , Government pledged in its adherence .to the Premiers’ Plan, with an unI paralleled majority, one roughly of | forty. Certainly a couple of seats are still in doubt, but the odds are definitely against Labour. The Lanjgite 9tatfe Labour Party have lost thirty seats. The United Australia Party have :) iced twenty-one seats. The Country Party have gained nine seats. There has not been one United or Country Party supporter defeated. Seats which hitherto have been regarded as impregnable Labour strongholds have rejected the Lang candidates in one of the heaviest polls on record. The Labour Party has virtually been expelled . from representation in the country.

UTTER ROUT OF LABOUR. THE PENALTY OF (SERVILITY. SYDNEY, June 12. The story' concerning the country electorates is summed up as an utter route of Labour. Quite a ‘number of Labour men who enjoyed personal popularity -and ordinarily would be .difficult to unseat, paid th e penalty of their servility to Langism and the socalled “spoils of the victors” have gone to. the United Parties, as their leaders pronosticated. The Country Party, who were given rather an open field, have profited to the tune of nine seats, and only a couple of seats remain in doubt. One of these is Bathurst, where the sitting Langite, Mr Kelly, is having the closest contest with the United candidate, Mf Wilkins, with the odds in favour of the latter. Bathurst is a large railway then’s cen* tre.

M&ifckwt sent, 'hitherto «. Labour stronghold, ham heou lost by a Langite, Mr O'Heavn. The adjoining seat, Upper Hunter, has been wrested from Labour in a most decisive manner. Mr Lang’s Minister of Lands, Mr Tully, who has a strong grip in the Goulburn railway centre, ltais suffered defeat by over a thousand.

All the, Riverina seats hitherto held bv Labour have been won by either United o r Country Party nominees.

MR LYONS DELIGHTED. (Received this day at 8 a.rn.) SYDNEY, June 13. The. Prime Minister, Mr Lyons, who is visiting Sydney, was overjoyed at the outcome of the elections, “I regard it as a vindication of the policy of the Commonwealth Government towards Mr Lang. We received a mandate' to take him to task, and force him to play his part in the work of rehabilitation, and the verdict of the New South Wales polls may he regarded a,s an endorsement of the measures taken to compel him to keep pace with other Stait'e Governments. The verdict is -a happy one for Australia and will do- more than anything eke to restore confidence in New South Wales.

INTEREST IN ENGLAND. LONDON, June 12. In Australian circles (the liveliest interest was taken in the elections. The Sunday newspapers gave prominence in headlines, indicative of the realisation of its significance, but there is no editorial comment. NO CHANGE IN PARTIES. •SYDNEY, June 12. There was no change in the New South Waller, election to-night, and counting resumes to-morrow. The state of parties! is:—United and Country. 63; State, Labour, 24; Doubtful, 3, whereof two are expected to ho won by United, and one by Labour.

GOOD THING FOR AUSTRALIA; COMMENT BY MR LATHAM. (Received this day at f).2n a.m) LONDON, Jn-o 1.2. « Mr Latham said : “Thu re nit is. one of the finest filings that ever happened in Australia and wid give Ans--1 fraiia now "heart. It will now ha'c a 1 real dim nee of dealing with problems which inust bo faced, and which cannot he dealt with .in the long run by ■any other method than honesty and lined work. As one of the leaders and found, or of the United Australia Party, I congratulate the Party upon its spectacular | victory in Nenv South Wales. ’