THE NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1890, 27 October 1913, Page 6

THE NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTIONS.

The question of land settlement is receiving a good deal of attention in the election struggle between the Liberals and the Labour-Socialists which is now in full swing in New South Wales. In his 'recent policy speech the Liberal leader (Mr. Wade) declared that his party is pledged to an' energetic programme of land settlement. . He made a promise of abundance of land, easier terms for settlers, facilities for,, access to markets and choice of tenuro if his party is_ succcssful at the polls. The Liberals tiro also in favour ■of 'giving the right to convert to the freehold to'anybody who is-now or hereafter may be on the land under a leasehold tenure. The Labourites arc strongly - opposed to the granting of the freehold. Other planks in the, Liberal platform arc immigration, railway construction, expansion of the work of the Department of Agriculture, and a domestic science collego and facilities for training women in horticulture and bee-farming. The prominence given to such questions as tho abovo may bo taken as an indication of the strength of the country vote. The settlers have recently been making their influence felt in politics, ancl some of .them aro in favour of the formation of a separate party, which, by holding the balance between tho two main political divisions, may ho able to use them both to gain its own ends. Another interesting point in Mr. Wade's speech is tho statement that if tho second ballot does not prove satisfactory at the coming elections the Liberals will replace it by better machinery. The Labour party is expected to put up a big fight under tho direction of Mr. Holman, who is said to be a more dashing and vigorous campaigner than Mr. M'Gowan, his predecessor in tho Premiership; but the other side hope to profit very materially from tho Liberal wave, which, made itself felt at the recent Federal elections.