Has Working Majority

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 515, 19 November 1928, Page 9

Has Working Majority

SOME CONTESTS IN DOUBT Labour Regains Old Strongholds (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) Received 10.45 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. THE election position remains undecided in several seats, though the Bruce-Page composite Ministry is assured of a working majority. The “Herald” places the present states of the parties as follows:—Nationalists, 28; Country Party, 11; Progressive Country Party, 1; Labour, 28; doubtful, 7.

Labour appears certain to carry the Senate seats in New South Wales, South Australia, aud possibly Victoria.

of the Bruce-Page Government as a foregone conclusion. Later these persons will officially be asked for an explanation of their remissions. A FIGHT FOR LIFE LABOUR IN AUSTRALIA MR. SCOTT-BENNETT’S ANALYSIS “In spite of prophesied annihilation, the Australian Labour Party has gained many seats from the strong Nationalist Party,” said Mr. Scott Bennett, in commenting today on the result of the Federal elections. Mr. Bennett, at one time closely associated with the Labour movement in Victoria, is now teaching for the Melbourne University Extension Board. Mr. Bennett considered that the outsanding fact was that Labour had made a substantial gain in national politics. It was considered by many, that the waterside strike would have meant Labour’s collapse. Labour went to the fight energetically, realising that it had to fight to live. Amendments made to the Arbitration Act by the Nationalist Government, placed all unions under the control of the Government and members belonged to unions under whatever conditions the Governments allowed. Mr. Bennett considers that the Australian Labour movement has made a mistake in not attempting to organise the Italian immigrants in the same way that immigrants had been organised in America. “It is too soon to speak of ultimate results,” said Mr. Bennett, “but the advantage on the doubtful seats seems to be with Labour.” STATE DEBTS TRANSFER APPROVAL IN N.S.W. Reed. 9.5 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. A referendum taken on Saturday shows a three-to-one approval of the Government’s proposals for the transference of State debts to the Commonwealth and financial adjustments. The counting of the House and Senate votes will be resumed to-night. The results are thus far inconclusive in the doubtful seats. LABOUR PAPER’S VIEW COMMENT IN LONDON (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 11.50 a.m. LONDON, Sunday. The Labour paper, “Daily Herald,” says that while Mr. Bruce is unfortunately not. removed, Labour should be able to curb reactionary and antiLabour activities. “It is heartening that our comrades down under are in winning vein. But the mere winning of seats is insufficient. They must have the majority.”

The total votes counted thus far are 2,202,105, of which Labour received 1,127,688, Nationalists 1,074,417.

While the Labour leaders regard the poll as disclosing that the people are tired of Mr. Bruce’s Government, Nationalist spokesmen are reticent, aud are awaiting the final results, which will not be known lor a couple of days.

Earlier reports gave the position as:—Nationalist 29 (38 at dissolution); Country Party 11 (14); Labour 34 (23); Independent 1 (0). The Government’s reduced majority is directly due to Labour winning back several seats ivhieh, prior to the last Federal election in 1925, were regarded as safe Labour seats, but owing to the bitter feelings engendered by the protracted strike of British seamen fell into the hands of antiLabour forces SURPRISE RESULTS

The present figures disclose a number of close contests in identically the same electorates where the element of doubt has always prevailed previously. The outcome of these will not be known until Wednesday. There were two surprise results in New South Wales. Mr. J. T. Ley. Nationalist member for Barton, has been defeated by Mr. J. T. Tulley (Labour). This was originally a Labour seat, but Mr. Ley, who is regarded as a strong man tor the Nationalist cause, was alone thought capable of holding it against Labour. Sir Elliot Johnson, for many years Speaker in the House of Representatives and a veteran Parliamentarian, is likely to be defeated by Mr. W. J. Long, the Labour candidate in the Lang electorate. Somehow Sir Elliott in the past has managed to pull victory out of the fire at the last moment,- and his friends are hoping he may do so again. Another close contest is occurring in the Gwydir electorate. There, as in the past, Mr. C. L. A. Abbott, the Country Party nominee, is doing his best to hold the seat, which was formerly held by the present Labour aspirant, Mr. L. L. Cunningham., The veteran statesman, Mr. W. M. Hughes (Nationalist) has retained the North Sydney seat by a majority of 13,000 votes over Mr. B. Howe, the Labour candidate.

There is a danger of Mr A. G, Manning (Nationalist) being defeated in the Macquarie electorate by Mr. J. B. Chifley (Labour), but late votes in that electorate usually help the retiring member. POLLING IN UEENSLAND

The position in Queensland is most interesting. Dr. L. W. Nott (Nationalist) is doing his best to hold the Herbert seat, formerly Mr. E. G. Theodore’s stronghold, against Mr. G. Martens (Labour), who is bound to run Dr. Nott very close, if he does not actually beat him. The contest in Kennedy (Queensland) between Mr. G. A. Francis, the retiring Nationalist member, who is being closely pursued by Mr. W. J. Riordan (Labour), is sure to remain in doubt until the last moment’. This seat was held by Labour prior to the last election. IN OTHER STATES

The figures for South Australia and Western Australia do not indicate any change of note. In Tasmania the position is likely to be the same as before, with strong support for the Bruce-Page Government. There is only one Tasmanian seat in doubt, namely, that of Sir John Gelibrand (Nationalist), who won Denison seat from Labour at the last election. He is seriously threatened with defeat. His opponents are Messrs. C. E. Culley and T. M. Jude, both Labour.

The Victorian returns so far show no material change, although the Ministerial, Messrs. A. S. Rodgers (Wannon) and W. G. Gibson (Coranga/mite), are being hard pressed. The former is opposed by Mr. J. McNeill (Labour) and the latter by Mr. R. A. Crouch (Labour). For these two seats and for Ballarat the Government candidates are never allowed to win easily. The same may be said of Bendigo, where Mr. G. Hurry (Nationalist) is again having a hard fight to retain the seat against Mr. J. McDonald (Labour). The Prime Minister had a comfortable win in the Flinders Electorate against a strong opponent, Mr. E. J. Holloway (Labour). His majority was more than 5,000.

Dr. Earle Page, Leader of the Country Party, has secured a majority to date of S,OOO over his opponent, Mr. T. J. Swiney (Labour), in the Cowper electorate. New South Wales. MOST QUIET ELECTION

The Senate returns reflect heavy polling in the metropolitan areas tor the Labour nominees, but there will be no indication as to what the outcome is likely to be until Wednesday. This election will go down in history as about the most quiet on record. Labour voters appeared to turn out well, but it is apparent that, in spite of the fact that voting is compulsory under the Federal law, there were many hundreds of anti-Labour defaulters who looked upon the return