IN THREE STATES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18900, 15 January 1927, Page 17

IN THREE STATES.

ELECTIONS IN AUSTRALIA. WITHIN NEXT FEAV MONTHS. ■ v rr.ou otR o\v>" cop.r.Eiro.NDE.sx.) SYDNEY, January 7. In three Australian States during the next lew months, elections will occur, and special interest attaches to them, in view of Labour victories in New South Wales and Queensland within the lait eighteen mouths. Tho three states are Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. In Victoria a Nationalist-Country Party fusion is in power. In the other two. Labour holds sway. Chief interest, centres on the ability of Labour to retain their majorities in these two States, and there is a prospect of its doing so. In Victoria, the Labour Tarty is characterised by an inertia absent from the Party in all other States. It is actually the largest Party in the Legislative Assembly. It held office for seven months, owing to disunity in the opposing ranks, but when these breaches were healed, it merely became a querulous Opposition. Us most vigorous dissent was raised by a I»c----distribution of Seats Hill, that the Allen-Peacock Government managed to < squeeze through, after many rejections. \ By this Bill, the electoral boundaries ; were rearranged to wipe out "rotten boroughs," but at the same time it made Victoria sale for the NationalistCountry Party forces, for nine of tho 23 seats held by Labour were wiped out. The visit of the Duke and Duchess will probably delay the holding of the election until May 7th, when it is expected that the electorate will return the present Government, inept and unbusinesslike, although its administration has been. Mr Lang's extreme legislation in this Stale will probably be Labour's greatest handicap in the southern State. Western Australia, hi Western Australia the election will probably bo held early in April The prospects arc that it will be a very even struggle. The present Government, Mr I'hilp Collier, will go to the country with a good legislative record, unmarked by any extreme act. There will bo a few. side issues and j fewer outstanding public questions io [bo decided. Reform of the Upper I House, inspired by the kilter's ruction of tho' 'Joverumcut's State Insurance Bill; will be made a leading issue bv the Government. The Government -will probably benefit by a measure it passed last session by which nomadic voters can cast their votes in another electorate. The anti-Socialists' chiot hope lies in a better understanding that has l>een reached lietwcen the Nationalists- and Country Party, and in the spread of-the agricultural industry. A lack of strong leadership will Lo their greatest handicap. Soutli Australia, In South Australia, the elections will probablv also be hold early in April. When the Labour Party was returned to office by a fairly substantial majority three years ago, it.was- led by Mr John Gunii, but his appointment to the Development and Migration Commission a lew months ago allowed his mantle to. fall on Mr L. B. Hill, a vigorous young politician, under whoso puida-neo Labour's prospects aro considered to have been enhanced. Already tho parties are busily preparing for tho campaign. Here, as in Western Australia, the struggle promises to be oven. Labour's greatest handicap is considered to ha the industrial wing's dissatisfaction with the Party's programme. _ As in the western State. anti-Socialism's greatest stand-by will bo a stronger working agreement between the Lib-erals-and the Country Party.' 1 In all three elections, local observers beliege that Mr Lang's extreme- legislation in New South Wales will play an important part in the campaigns. It . was in view of these forthcoming elections that tho Federal executive intervened in the revolt in the ranks of this State's Party a few weeks ago, the executive holding, that a. rent party here would adversely affect Labour's prospects in the other States. The Lang Government acts were held to have had a bad effect on the Federal Labour Party's chances at the poll in November, 1&25, and its record since then has not been such as would sway a hesitant elector to the side, of Labour.