VICTORIA ==================================================================== LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ==================================================================== ELECTION OF 18 JUNE 1955 ==================================================================== Shows ministerial and parliamentary offices held by MLCs in the period from 21 June 1952 to 21 June 1958 Voting figures are taken from Colin Hughes and Don Aitkin, "Voting for the Australian state upper houses, 1890-1984," ANU Press 1986. Candidates' given names are taken from "The Argus." At this election, as a result of the split in the Labor Party, the LCP recovered all the ground it had lost in 1952. Labor won only its four traditional safe seats (Doutta Galla, Melbourne, Melbourne North and Melbourne West). Only one of the six Labor MLCs who had joined the Anti-Communist Labor Party, Hon Patrick L Coleman, faced election at this election. He was defeated at Melbourne West. The Country Party retained the balance of power. In 1957 the Anti-Communist Labor Party was renamed the Democratic Labor Party (DLP). SUMMARY OF VOTES AND SEATS ========================================================================= Voters enrolled: 1,430,130 Total votes cast: 1,110,951 77.7 Informal votes: 23,189 02.1 Formal votes 1,087,762 97.9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Party Votes % 1952 1955 Total ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liberal Country 331,609 30.5 -06.7 1 9 10 Country Party 66,826 06.1 -04.9 4 4 8 Labor Party 423,663 38.9 +01.7 6 4 10 -05 Anti-Comm Labor 179,319 16.5 5 - 5 +05 Others 86,345 07.9 1 - 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 1,087,762 17 17 34 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Two CP members and one Liberal were elected unopposed. This lowered statewide turnout. It also lowered the statewide CP and Liberal vote. 2. Four provinces were contested only by Labor and Anti-Communist Labor candidates. This had the effect of increasing both parties' statewide votes at the expense of the non-Labor parties. 3. Of the 11 Labor members elected in 1952, five were expelled in March 1955 and sat as the Anti-Communist Labor Party. 4. The table shows members elected in 1952, for terms ending in 1958, and members elected at this election, for terms ending in 1961. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VOTING BY PROVINCE ==================================================================== BALLARAT PROVINCE 55,934 enrolled, 52,944 (94.7%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: LCP over CP 06.8 1952 majority: Labor over LCP 08.4 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon Herbert C LUDBROOK * Liberal Country 29,838 56.9 +15.4 Harold O Williams Labor Party 22,571 43.1 -15.4 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 535 (01.0%) informal 52,409 06.9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Herbert Charles Ludbrook (1888-1956): Elected 1949, 1955 Died 15 January 1956 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Ballarat Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- John Joseph Jones (1907-97): Elected 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- BENDIGO PROVINCE 58,582 enrolled, 55,121 (94.1%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: LCP over CP 11.4 1952 majority: Labor over LCP 05.6 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- James D Brosnan Anti-Comm Labor 8,297 15.2 Hon Thomas H Grigg * Liberal Country 24,610 45.1 +00.7 John J Murley Labor Party 21,629 39.7 -15.9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 585 (01.1%) informal 54,536 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd count: Brosnan's 8,297 votes distributed -------------------------------------------------------------------- GRIGG * 7,219 87.0 31,829 58.4 +14.0 Murley 1,078 13.0 22,707 41.6 -14.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > 8,297 54,536 08.4 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas Henry Grigg (1889-1969): Elected 1951 by, 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Bendigo Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Arthur Smith (1902-81): Elected 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- DOUTTA GALLA PROVINCE 111,033 enrolled, 101,009 (91.0%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: Labor over Independent 02.6 1952 majority: Labor unopposed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon William SLATER * Labor Party 68,905 70.5 Francis P Williams Anti-Comm Labor 28,800 29.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 3,304 (03.3%) informal 97,705 20.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------- William Slater (1890-1960): Elected 1917, 1920, 1921, 1924, 1927, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1937, 1940, 1943, 1945. Defeated 1947. Elected 1949, 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Doutta Galla Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Paul Jones (1878-1972): Elected 1938 by, 1940, 1946, 1952 Jones retired in 1958 Died 27 December 1972 -------------------------------------------------------------------- EAST YARRA PROVINCE 124,371 enrolled, 113,635 (91.4%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: LCP unopposed 1952 majority: Independent over LCP 07.9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon Ewen P CAMERON * Liberal Country 61,417 55.2 Francis E Cranston Labor Party 23,705 21.3 Clifden C Eager 14,970 13.5 Leonora E Lloyd Anti-Comm Labor 11,195 10.1 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2,348 (02.1%) informal 111,287 15.3 e -------------------------------------------------------------------- Eager was the son of Hon Sir Clifden Eager MLC. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Ewen Paul Cameron (1891-1964): Elected 1948 by, 1949, 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Minister of Health -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for East Yarra Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Clifden Henry Andrews Eager (1882-1969): Elected 1930 by, 1934, 1940, 1946, 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- President of the Legislative Council to June 1958 -------------------------------------------------------------------- GIPPSLAND PROVINCE 68,336 enrolled, 62,166 (91.0%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: CP over LCP 09.3 1952 majority: CP over Labor 01.2 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon William MacAULAY * Country Party 43,963 72.2 +41.1 William C Phelan Anti-Comm Labor 16,973 27.8 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,230 (02.0%) informal 60,936 22.2 -------------------------------------------------------------------- William MacAulay (1893-1957): Elected 1937, 1943, 1949, 1952 Died 17 May 1957 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Gippsland Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- William Oliver Fulton (1891-1975): Elected 1942 by, 1943. Defeated 1945. Elected 1947, 1950. Defeated 1952. Elected 1953 by -------------------------------------------------------------------- HIGINBOTHAM PROVINCE 118,488 enrolled ==================================================================== 1949 majority: LCP unopposed 1952 majority: LCP over Independent 08.7 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon Lindsay THOMPSON * Liberal Country Unopposed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Lindsay Hamilton Simpson Thompson (1923-2008): Elected 1955 by, 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Higinbotham Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Arthur George Warner (1899-1966): Elected 1946, 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Minister of Transport Vice-President of the Board of Land and Works -------------------------------------------------------------------- MELBOURNE PROVINCE 59,175 enrolled, 52,689 (89.0%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: Labor over LCP 13.7 1952 majority: Labor unopposed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Francis P McManus Anti-Comm Labor 18,691 36.7 Hon Frederick M THOMAS * Labor Party 32,212 63.3 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,786 (03.4%) informal 50,903 13.3 -------------------------------------------------------------------- McManus was a DLP Senator for Victoria 1956-62, 1965-74. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Frederick Miles Thomas (1882-1960): Elected 1948 by, 1949, 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Melbourne Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Maurice Patrick Sheehy (1893-1961): Elected 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- MELBOURNE NORTH PROVINCE 136,060 enrolled, 126,557 (93.0%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: Labor over Independent 06.3 1952 majority: Labor unopposed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon John W GALBALLY * Labor Party 80,962 65.3 Harold J Harvie 23,413 18.9 Fredrick J Riley Anti-Comm Labor 19,592 15.8 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2,590 (02.1%) informal 123,967 16.9 e -------------------------------------------------------------------- John William Galbally (1910-90): Elected 1949, 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Melbourne North Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- John Albert Little (1914-88): Elected 1954 by -------------------------------------------------------------------- MELBOURNE WEST PROVINCE 100,632 enrolled, 92,833 (92.3%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: Labor Unopposed 1952 majority: Labor over Communist 38.8 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon Patrick L Coleman * Anti-Comm Labor 27,218 30.1 Buckley MACHIN Labor Party 63,098 69.9 -16.9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2,517 (02.7%) informal 90,316 19.9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Patrick Leslie Coleman (1895-1974): Elected 1943 by, 1949. Defeated 1955 Died 6 October 1974 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Buckley Machin (1901-63): Elected 1955 Born: 21 October 1901, Nottinghamshire Career: Coal miner. To Australia 1927. Municipal officer with Footscray Council. President, Municipal Officers Association. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Melbourne West Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Albert Joseph Bailey (1915-99): Elected 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- MONASH PROVINCE 106,435 enrolled, 91,867 (86.3%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: LCP over Independent 08.4 1952 majority: Labor over LCP 03.1 1955 by-election majority: LCP over Labor 10.9 e -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon Charles S GAWITH * Liberal Country 55,564 61.5 +14.6 Henry J Peagram Labor Party 34,791 38.5 -14.6 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,512 (01.7%) informal 90,355 11.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Charles S Gawith (1910-82): Elected 1955 by, 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Monash Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas William Brennan (1900-66): Elected 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN PROVINCE 51,264 enrolled, 47,423 (92.5%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: CP over LCP 01.2 1952 majority: CP over LCP 09.3 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Stephen S Donelan 5,286 11.5 Percy V Feltham Country Party 22,863 49.8 Morton J Garner 6,601 14.4 James T Mosby 11,201 24.4 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,472 (03.1%) informal 45,951 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd count: Donelan's 5,286 votes distributed -------------------------------------------------------------------- FELTHAM 4,004 75.8 26,867 58.5 Garner 734 13.9 7,335 16.0 Mosby 548 10.4 11,749 25.6 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > 5,286 45,951 -------------------------------------------------------------------- No two-party majority can be calculated for this seat. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Percy Victor Feltham (1902-86): Elected 1955 Born: 24 May 1902, Melbourne Career: Educated Melbourne University. Solicitor, Shepparton. Military service 194-45 (Wing-Cdr). Farmer at Wyuna. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Northern Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Dudley Joseph Walters (1888-1982): Elected 1946, 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTH-EASTERN PROVINCE 48,829 enrolled ==================================================================== 1949 majority: CP over LCP 04.3 1952 majority: CP over LCP 13.6 1953 by-election majority: CP over Labor 03.7 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon Keith BRADBURY * Country Party Unopposed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Archibald Keith Bradbury (1905-88): Elected 1953 by, 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for North-Eastern Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Ivan Archie Swinburne (1908-94): Elected 1946, 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTH-WESTERN PROVINCE 46,803 enrolled ==================================================================== 1949 majority: CP over LCP 08.5 1952 majority: CP over LCP 18.7 1952 by-election majority: CP unopposed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon Arthur R MANSELL * Country Party Unopposed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Arthur Robert Mansell (1904-90): Elected 1952 by, 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for North-Western Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Percy Thomas Byrnes (1893-1973): Elected 1942 by, 1946, 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHERN PROVINCE 122,174 enrolled, 111,933 (91.6%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: LCP unopposed 1952 majority: Labor over LCP 05.8 e -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Arthur H Carpenter Labor Party 40,710 37.0 -15.8 Hon Gilbert L CHANDLER * Liberal Country 57,862 52.5 +12.8 David K Purcell Anti-Comm Labor 11,609 10.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,752 (01.6%) informal 110,181 12.0 e -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gilbert Laurence Chandler (1903-74): Elected 1935 by, 1937, 1943, 1949, 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Minister of Agriculture Vice-President of the Board of Land and Works -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Southern Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert Roy Rawson (1898-1971): Elected 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTH-EASTERN PROVINCE 97,360 enrolled, 88,218 (90.6%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: LCP over CP 14.7 1952 majority: Labor over LCP 00.4 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- James W Austin Anti-Comm Labor 22,884 26.6 Charles H Bridgford Liberal Country 42,838 49.8 Hon Charles P Gartside * Victorian Liberal 20,252 23.6 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2,244 (02.5%) informal 85,974 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gartside had been expelled from the LCP in 1952. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd count: Gartside's 20,252 votes distributed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Austin 2,218 11.0 25,102 29.2 BRIDGFORD 18,034 89.0 60,872 70.8 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > 20,252 85,974 20.8 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Charles Percival Gartside (1887-1958): Elected 1937, 1943, 1949. Defeated 1952 Died 11 August 1958 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Charles Haig Bridgford (1910-93): Elected 1955 Born: 8 October 1910, Melbourne Career: Accountant, shipping agent, business manager. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for South-Eastern Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- George Leonard Tilley (1912-89): Elected 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTH-WESTERN PROVINCE 70,769 enrolled, 65,366 (92.4%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: LCP over Independent 09.4 e 1952 majority: Labor over LCP 03.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Findley Anti-Comm Labor 10,395 16.1 Hon Gordon S McARTHUR * Liberal Country 34,802 53.9 +12.6 Edwin W Morris Labor Party 19,430 30.1 -21.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 739 (01.1%) informal 64,627 18.4 e -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gordon Stewart McArthur (1896-1965): Elected 1931, 1937, 1943, 1949, 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Minister without Portfolio 8 June 1955 to 10 April 1956 Minister of Forests from 10 April 1956 Minister of State Development and Decentralisation from 10 April 1956 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for South-Western Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Donald Patrick John Ferguson (1907-87): Elected 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- WESTERN PROVINCE 53,885 enrolled, 49,190 (91.3%) voted ==================================================================== 1949 majority: CP over LCP 09.8 1952 majority: Labor over LCP 02.6 e -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Roy A Cundy Labor Party 15,650 30.9 -19.3 George O Fitzgerald Anti-Comm Labor 3,665 11.2 Ronald W Mack Liberal Country 24,678 48.8 +11.1 Hon Hugh V MacLeod * Victorian Liberal 4,622 09.1 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 575 (01.1%) informal 48,615 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Mack was MLA for Warrnambool 1950-52. 2. MacLeod had been expelled from the LCP in 1952. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd count: MacLeod's 4,622 votes distributed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Cundy 680 14.7 16,330 32.3 Fitzgerald 442 09.6 6,107 12.1 MACK 3,500 75.7 28,178 55.7 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > 4,622 50,615 16.6 e -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hugh Vernon MacLeod (1882-1955): Elected 1946 by, 1949. Defeated 1955 Died 24 September 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Ronald William Mack (1904-68): Elected 1950. Defeated 1952. Elected 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Other member for Western Province 1955-58 -------------------------------------------------------------------- David Levis Edmund Andrea Arnott (1899-1960): Elected 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------- BY-ELECTIONS 1955-58 ==================================================================== BALLARAT PROVINCE 56,149 enrolled, 51,662 (92.0%) voted ==================================================================== 3 March 1956, following the death of Hon Herbert C Ludbrook -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1955 majority: LCP over Labor 06.9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- Vance O Dickie Liberal Country 23,225 45.4 -11.5 Noel P Tobin Anti-Comm Labor 6,444 12.6 H O S Williams Labor Party 21,517 42.0 -01.1 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 475 (00.9%) informal 51,187 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd count: Tobin's 6,444 votes distributed -------------------------------------------------------------------- DICKIE 5,109 79.3 28,334 55.4 -01.5 Williams 1,335 20.7 22,852 44.6 +01.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > 6,444 51,187 05.4 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Vance Oakley Dickie (1918-2012): Elected 1956 by Born: 29 August 1918, Bacchus Marsh Career: Military service 1940-44. Dairy factory manager. Bacchus Marsh Shire Council, President 1948. -------------------------------------------------------------------- GIPPSLAND PROVINCE 69,632 enrolled, 61,830 (88.8%) voted ==================================================================== 29 June 1957, following the death of Hon William MacAulay -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1955 majority: CP over Anti-Comm Labor 22.2 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % -------------------------------------------------------------------- John T Hansen Anti-Comm Labor 7,308 12.0 Frederick P Gregory Labor Party 16,237 26.6 -18.0 R B M Gerrand Liberal Country 13,738 22.5 Robert W May Country Party 23,646 38.8 -33.4 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 901 (01.5%) informal 60,929 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd count: Hansen's 7,308 votes distributed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gregory 1,012 13.9 17,249 28.3 Gerrand 4,892 68.2 18,630 30.6 May 1,314 18.0 24,960 41.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > 7,308 60,929 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 3rd count: Gregory's 17,249 votes distributed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gerrand 3,371 19.5 22,091 36.3 MAY 13,878 80.5 38,838 63.7 -08.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > 17,249 60,929 13.7 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert William May (1909-86): Elected 1957 by Born: 6 July 1909, Yarram Career: Dairy farmer and grazier at Won Wron. Company director. --------------------------------------------------------------------