A SUMMING-UP.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1764, 31 May 1913, Page 5

A SUMMING-UP.

FEDERAL ELECTIONS & REFERENDA,

POLLING TO-DAY.

LABOUR'S RETURN ANTICIPATED. Ey Teleeraph—Press Association—OoDyrlaht (Rec. May 30, 7.20 p.m.) Sydney, May 30. The leaders of both political parties in their final "flutters" used tlio Privy Council's dismissal of the appeal in the Coal Vend case as an argument in their favour, Mr. ntighes; tho Commonwealth Attorney-General, claiming that it proved the need of tho greater powers asked for by the Referenda, and- Mr. Joseph Cook, Leader of tho Opposition, that it was tho weightiest argument conceivable against the Referenda.

As the polling booths will be open np till eight o'clock, and the counting at midnight on Saturday, very few complete returns, even for the House of Representatives, will be available before Monday, while it will be some days before tho Senate and Referenda figures give anything like a true idea, of the position.

The task of forecasting where the wholo of the Commonwealth is involved is very difficult. Both sides have conducted a vigorous nnd systematic" campaign.

Labour's excellent organisation is again apparent, and the Labour leaders are fairly confident of being able to sit tight as far ,as the electorates are concerned, but are less confident over the Referenda.

The Liberals, backed by a strong appeal from the employers against hobbling industry, are confident of defeating tho Referenda. They consider their chance of winning the electorates has teen much improved by the largo floating vote, especially that of the women, which last election wc«t to Labour, and is being turned as a result of the big advance in rents and the costl of living during the Labour regime.

The Liberals also count upon the late epidemic of strikes, and the Government attitudo thereon winning them some of the previous direct Labour vote.

The bulk of tho fights be straight out.

It is 'anticipated that the altered boundaries under the amended Electoral Act will bo responsible for some surprises.

It is not unlikely that spoilt votes will form an appreciablo quota, as besides voting for members for ,both the House of Representatives and tho Senate, the electors will have'to answer no fewer than six Eeferenda questions.

Summing . up, the preponderance of opinion appears to favour the Labour Government squeezing back with the Eeferenda ruled out.