▁gained ▁pre - selection ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁W ake field ▁by - e lection ▁and ▁res igned ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁Premier ▁and ▁his ▁seat ▁in ▁parliament ▁on ▁ 5 ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁to ▁be ▁replaced ▁as ▁Premier ▁by ▁Thomas ▁Play ford ▁IV . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁res ignation , ▁Butler ▁was ▁the ▁longest - ser ving ▁Premier ▁in ▁South ▁Australian ▁history . ▁ ▁Butler ▁went ▁into ▁the ▁by - e lection ▁as ▁a ▁heavy ▁favorite ; ▁on ▁paper ▁W ake field ▁was ▁a ▁safely ▁conserv ative ▁seat ▁with ▁a ▁U AP / L CL ▁majority ▁of ▁ 1 3 . 1 ▁percent . ▁ ▁However , ▁in ▁a ▁shock ▁result , ▁Butler ▁lost ▁the ▁by - e lection ▁after ▁independent ▁Per cy ▁Qu ir ke ' s ▁prefer ences ▁flow ed ▁over wh el ming ly ▁to ▁Labor ▁ch allen ger ▁Sydney ▁Mc H ugh . ▁ ▁This ▁allowed ▁Mc H ugh ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁seat ▁on ▁a ▁swing ▁of ▁ 2 0 ▁percent . ▁ ▁Although ▁he ▁continued ▁to ▁seek ▁federal ▁pre - selection ▁for ▁the ▁L CL , ▁internal ▁party ▁oppon ents ▁th wart ed ▁him . ▁Instead , ▁after ▁being ▁kn ight ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁Butler ▁was ▁first ▁appointed ▁by ▁Play ford ▁to ▁the ▁critical ▁w art ime ▁positions ▁of ▁Director ▁of ▁Emer gency ▁Road ▁Transport ▁and ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁Li qu id ▁F uel ▁Control ▁Board ▁and ▁later ▁as ▁a ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Electric