FEDERAL ELECTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24419, 3 October 1940, Page 9

FEDERAL ELECTIONS

GOVERNMENT SETBACKS LABOUR SUCCESSES DEFEAT OF TWO MINISTERS (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegrf.pl" l —Copyright) SYDNEY, Oct. 2. (Received Oct. 3. at l am) The defeat of two Country Party Ministers —the Postmaster-general, Mr H. V. Thorby, and the Minister for Territories, Mr H. Nock—was announced to-day following the finalisation of the election counts in Calare and Riverina, both New South Wales constituencies. Both lost to Labour candidates, Mr Thorby by 3236 and Mr Nock by 1465 votes. Mr Nock’s defeat was a shock to Government supporters, who considered he had every chance of success. The Government received a further setback by the loss of Wannon seat, in Victoria, where the retiring United Australia Part, candidate, Mr T. Schofield, was defeated by the official Labour candidate, Mr D. McLeod, whose majority was 4737.

Official Labour has also retained the Ballarat seat, which the Government expected to win from Mr R. Pollard, whose majority was only 281.

The position now is that Labour has won 35 seats, the Government parties 34, and the Independents have two, while three still remain in doubt. The two Independents may hold the balance of power. One Independent, Mr A. W. Coles, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, who won the Heny seat, formerly held by the late Sir Henry Gullett, is expected to vote with the Government, but the other, Mr Alex Wilson, who stood in Wimmera as an Independent Country Party candidate, is regarded as a doubtful quantity, having in the past frequents voted with Labour.

All three party whips were beaten at the election.., namely, Mr J. Gander, official Labour; Mr S. Gardner, Unitec. Australia Party, and Mr H. Nock, Country Party. The death is announced of the Federal Labour member for Kalgooi’lie, Mr A. F. Green, who was the only member of the House of Representatives elected unopposed. Mr Green, who was 70 years of age, was Minister of Defence in the former Scullin Labour Ministry. His electorate is described as the largest in the world,

LABOUR VICTORIES THREE DOUBTFUL SEATS WON SYDNEY, Oct. 2. The distribution of preferences in three doubtful New South . Wales Federal seats resulted in the defeat of the Government retiring candidate, Mr J. Jennings; in the Watson electorate,- by the Official Labourite, Mr S. Falstein, by 2400 votes. The Official Labourite, Mr J. H. Chifley, has defeated the retiring Government candidate, Mr J. N. Lawson, in Macquarie by 8000 votes. The Official Labourite, Mr C. Morgan, defeated the retiring NonCommunist Labourite, Mr J. Gander, in the Reid constituency by 2341 votes. Mr Gander was a member of the Beasley Labour “ Non-Com-munist ” group, which is now reduced to four in the House of Representatives. The Robertson seat has been won, by a Government supporter, Mr E.' Spooner, from the retiring Government candidate, Mr E. Gardner, by only 345 votes. Mr Spooner was a Minister in a former Stevens New South. Wales Ministry. The Hume seat was retained bv the retiring Country Party member, Mr T. Collins, whose majority over his nearest opponent, the Official Labourite, Mr C. Nolan, was 920 votes. A message, from Melbourne states that following a telephone conversation with Mr Curtin in Perth to-day, Mr Menzies announced that the conference of political party leaders called for Friday has been postponed until Monday, by when it is expected ■ that all the doubtful seats will be resolved and the true state of the parties known.