The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1913. POLITICS IN AUSTRALIA.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1926, 8 December 1913, Page 6

The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1913. POLITICS IN AUSTRALIA.

v The general election which took place in New South Wales on Saturday shows that the Liberal and Labour forces are still very evenly matched, but the returns at present available are not sufficiently complete to enable a reliable estimate to be formed as to which party will sccurc a majority. The indications are, however, that the margin, on whichever sido it may be, will be a narrow one—probably too narrow to allow the business of tho country to be-carried on in a satisfactory manner. So far the Labour party has more than held its own, having captured at least two seats, and all the Ministers are said to be safe. 1 But it must be borne in mind that, while the city and suburban returns are practically complete, the results of the polling in many of the country constituencies have not yet been received, and it , is in. the country districts that the Liberals expect to materially improve their position. According to the latest figures available at time of writing, Labour has secured 3G seats, the Liberals :M, and two Independent candidates have been elected. This accounts for 72 out of the 90 members of which the Legislative Assembly is composed. It is quite possible, though by np .means certain, that the Liberals may gain a sufficient number of country seats to enalilo them to secure the reins of Government; but it seems evident that, whether tho Labour Government continues in office or tho Liberals come into power, the elections will not result in the inauguration of that period of stable administration which is so desirable. The action of the Iloman Catholic Federation and Father O'Reilly's call upon the Roman Catholics to vote against the Ministers do not appear to have had the effect which some people anticipated, but the sectarian vole is always a very uncertain factor, and those who rely on it are generally disappointed. The whole Commonwealth is at present in an extraordinary state oi political ferment. Federal polities are in a most unsettled state, and now a crisis has occurred in the Victorian State Parliament which has resulted in the resignation of (he Cabinet owing to its prop-oral for I ho redistribution of seats being defeated by the. Labour Opposition assisted by a number of dissatisfied Liberals. For some time past there, have been dissensions in the Liberal ranks in Victoria, and quite recently disaster was only averted by a compromise. The Redistribution Bill provided for an increase in the number of electoral tlihfcricls for the Assembly, and also ail alteration in

members. At present the State is divided into' G5 electorates, and it was proposed to add five to this number. The new scheme would increase the representation of the towns from 20 to 24, while the country members would only be increased from 45 to 46. It is generally admitted that a redistribution of scats is necessary, but there has been no demand in- the country for any addition to the number of .members, and the Arnws declares that the proposal for additional representation "is dictated wholly and solely by the desire to avoid jeopardising the vested, interests of any sitting member on either side of the House." The Government was defeated by ;!'2 to 29, and as a result Mr.. Watt has resigned. The Leader of the Opposition has been scut for, but as his party consists of only £0 members out of a House of G5, he will be unable to form a Ministry except by means of a coalition of some sort. If he fails, the leader of tho country party will be given a chance; but the country members would find it difficult to work with the Labour members, as one of the planks of the Labour platform is "one vote, one value," which would mean the abolition of the country quota. Tho situation will probably end in a dissolution.

In the Federal Parliament the Liberal Government continues _to struggle on in spite of great difficulties. Owing to its narrow majority in the House it is very seriously hampered in its efforts to proceed with business, and its troubles are increased by the fact that the Labour party has an overwhelming majority in the Senate. The Government is fighting on till the opportune moment for another election arrives; but it is by no means certain that the trouble would bo o.vereorae by an appeal to the country, and many pe-ople_ are, of opinion that the unsatisfactory situation that has arisen between the two Chambers can only be remedied by an alteration in the Constitution. In order to harass the Government, the Senate went on strike recently, and refused to do any business, simply because the Prime Minister would not allow the work of the House of Representatives to be further delayed by the discussion of a vote of censure—the third within three months. The Labour party in the Senate is, however, very anxious to avoid coming to grips with the other Chamber. The Houbo has sent up at least twr< important measures—the Postal Votes Bill and a Bill to abolish the system of preference to unionists in the Public Service. The Labour party is opposed to these measures, out the party leaders realise that their rejection by the Senate would involve a conflict between the two Houses which would probably kad to a double dissolution. This is just what the Labour party does not want, for it already dominates the Senate and would prefer a dissolution of the House of Representatives alone. Its representatives in tho Senate have therefore been adopting various tactics and manoeuvres with the object of delaying the consideration of the Government's Bills. The strike was no doubt part iof this game. The Supply Bill had, : however, to bo treated differently, . because if it was not passed promptly a crisis would he precipitated, ; and it was allowed to go through ! with very little opposition, It has been made increasingly clear as the rcacilt, of the recent New South Wales elections that the two great political parties in'the Commonwealth are so evenly divided that for the time being at least it is wallnigh hopeless to look forward to any settled *and stable administration of the country's affairs.