N.S.W. REFERENDUM

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 532, 16 May 1933, Page 5

N.S.W. REFERENDUM

(Press Assn.-

LABOUR CLAIMS INCREASE OF. 100,000 VOTES GOVT. CONTENDS THIS FALLACY

-By Telegraph — Copyright).

, : Sydney, May 15. The Hefald, in a leader on the referendum, says: "The popular vote which was passed on the referendum on Saturday. was a signal victory for the Government. ■ "The opponents of the bill used little valid argument against it, hut had -many factors to help them. "It was an 1 easy- matter for the leaders of the Langist appeal to play upon the despondency of struggling citizeris, and to arouse in them resentment and passion, rather than a desire to understand facts." Labour Paper's Claim The Labour Daily says: "Labour despite heayy handicaps, polled a wonderfql vope, which is a certain augury that Labour will win in the next Federal and State elections. Compared with the figures . at the June eleqtion, the poll showed an inpreased Labour vote of 100,000 and

in effeqt w.as a yote of no confidenee in the Stevens Government." "In no fewer than 13 electorates .'the Nationalists' majorities of 11 months ago, were converted into Labour majorities, and. in 12 other electorates large Nationalist majorities yerq reduced. A majority below 1000 cast for Mr. Lang, in Auburn,, on the other hand, was increased by . 4500." Fallacious Reasoning The Telegraph says: "To compare Labour's figures at the last election with the referendum figures is inis1 leading, as it is obvio.us many people • who voted against the Ref orm Bill did not intend their vote to be against the Government. This is particularly obvious in the North Shore electorate and in Croydon, Mr. Stevens' electorate." Mr. Lang's Viewpoint Mr. J. T. Lang, Leader of the Opposition says the campaign of terrorism and intimidation conducted by 'the Government and newspapers succeeded in inducing the people to surrendel* their sejf-governing rights.