Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 26 October 1929, page 17


TO SERVE AUSTRALIA.

Mr. Brace's Ambition.

"PREPARED TO COME BACK."

MELBOURNE, Friday.

Remarking that he had no ambition but to serve Australia Mr. Bruce, at the de-claration of the Flinders poll at Dandenong to-day, said that he was prepared to come back at any time to serve the Commonwealth.

The poll was declared outside the electoral office in the main street, and the crowd ex-tended so far into the roadway as to block the traffic. The final figures, announced by the returning officer (Mr. FleW), were:

E. J. HOLLOWAY (Lab.) .. 31,370 S. M. BRUCE (Nat.) . 31,065

Majority for Holloway .... 305

Mr. Holloway, in moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Field and his staff, said that the elec-tion had not been fought on personal issues. The people of Australia had decided in the way he had predicted they would, and had been true to their nature as democratic Aus-tralians. He had no personal feeling against Mr. Bruce, and he did not think that Mr. Bruce had any against him. The Labour party Intended to try gradually to put Aus-tralia's house in order. It was making no mistake about the difficulties of the task, but it believed that by a more courageous policy It would be able to tilt upwards the prosperity

of the Commonwealth.

Mr. Bruce, on rising to second the motion, was cheered for several minutes,

A voice: The also ran.

Mr. Bruce said that he was in the position of a Prime Minister whose Ministry had been defeated, the leader of a party that had suffered a reverse, and of an individual mem-ber who had lost his own seat. He did not think that one could add much more. He held that the last Ministry had pursued the right course, and he trusted that the new Ministry would be able to solve the problems ahead of it. Above all things the welfare of the nation had to be considered. The people had made their decision and he offered no complaints. He had been banished from the ring. He hoped the Ministry would face the future with economic sanity. Extrem-ists, if allowed, would destroy the country.

GOOD WISHES FOR MINISTRY.

"I wish the new Ministry every success," said Mr. Bruce. "I hope that for the sake of Australia it will go forward resolutely and courageously to face the issues confront-ing the nation, and that it will have in mind the welfare of the people.

"For my part I admit to a real feeling of disappointment that I have been beaten in my own electorate. I hoped that I had per-sonally so established myself in the confidence and trust of my electors that no matter what might come they would be prepared to trust me and return me again. But I offer no complaint. This is only the type of vicissi-tude that one has to accept in politics for the moment. The people have said that they do not want my servloes, and I am going into the banishment to which they have sent me. If ever they desire my services again I am prepared to come back at any time."

Mr. Bruce denied the suggestions that he was anxious to go into politics in England or elsewhere to further a vaulting ambition. He had no ambition but to serve Australia.

"I thank all my supporters," Mr. Bruce concluded, "and to Mr. Holloway I extend my congratulations. He has won, an honour that I am determined to take from him at the earliest possible moment." (Applause.)