ELECTIONS IN N.S.W.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 April 1922, Page 5

ELECTIONS IN N.S.W.

THE PARTIES UNCHANGED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, April 1. The allotment of preference votes is proceeding, and. in several electorates the counting has been completed. There is no change in the party positions. Mr. Simon Hickey, who for a short time occupied the Speaker’s chair on the resignation of Mr. Levy, was defeated for Botany, in which electorate a new Labor candidate, Mr. W. Ratcliffe, topped the poll, beating Mr. Mutch (Minister of Education) and Mr. McKell (Minister of Justice). The last-named just scraped home without a quota. Mr. Gann (Minister of Mines), the fifth member, was elected for St. George also without a quota. The Labor Party executive last night expelled Mr. Ratcliffe for refusing to obey the executive’s injunction not to seek number one votes, but to act as a dummy for the other four Labor candidates. Other candidates who similarly refused to play the part of dummy are threatened with expulsion. THE POSITION UNCHANGED. Received April 2, 11.30 p.m. Sydney, April 2. There is no change in the election position. LABOR DEFEAT EXPLAINED. Received April 2, 11.30 p.m. Sydney. April 2. The executive of the Labor Party explains that the defeat at the elections was due to the formation or T.abor groups in opposition to Official Labor, with the avowed object of securing a better type of candidate, irrespective of the party.