FEDERAL ELECTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 23686, 20 September 1940, Page 6

FEDERAL ELECTIONS

POLLING DAY TO-MORROW COMPLICATED POLITICAL SITUATION IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT OUTCOME Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, September 19. (Received September 20, at 8 a.m.) Although polling in the Federal elections takes place on Saturday, following a whirlwind campaign by tho 338 candidates for tho House of Representatives, it is quite impossible, according to disinterested political observers, to predict the outcome. I Early in tho campaign the belief was popular that the Menzies Government In the emergency circumstances of today, with its “all in 11 war policy, would undoubtedly receive a mandate to carry on. Labour’s programme, which is similarly based, appeared to admit of no substantial reason why there should be any changing of horses in mid-stream, but within tho past fortnight a change has come over the scene. The customary side issues and fault-finding have intruded to the Government’s disadvantage and discomfiture. Strangely, most of the criticism, when directed against the Ministry, has com© from members of the United Australia Party and not alone from Labour opponents. In this election the party machine departed from custom by endorsing more than one Government candidate for certain constituencies, and, according to reports, some of these have a definite chance of ousting their retiring parliamentary colleagues. A case in point is the Parramatta electorate, where the Minister of Supply and Munitions (Sir Frederick Stewart) has seven opponents, two of whom are fel-low-members of the party. They are making political capital out of the petrol rationing troubles and are pressing him closely. The PostmasterGeneral (Mr Thorby) is getting bitter opposition, and his prospects of success rtre far from rosy.

The crop of independent candidates has tended to complicate the Government’s task of focussing public attention on vital war issues, but it is generally conceded that the fate of the Government will' be largely determined by the voting in New South Wales. The Labour Party’s campaign, directors are exceedingly optimistic. They claim that the results of the three recent by-elections in New South Wales, particularly Ryde, and also Corio (Victoria! earlier in the year, reveal an unmistakable swing to Labour. They are hopeful of winning at least four scats in New South Wales, including Barton. by Dr Evatt. formerly of the High Court Bench, who has given a groat fillip to the Labour campaign, and claim that they will win at least three seats in the other States. They require to win altogether only five in order to obtain a narrow working majority in the House of Representatives. Furthermore, Labour expects to get control of the Senate. The party possesses the initial advantage of holding 14 of the 17 seats not contested in this election, and only needs to win Senate seats in two of the six States in order to achieve its objective. In other circumstances there mav be a stalemate. The Prime Minister had a rousing reception Jlif of; the largq.centres of the eastern States, but has had to submit to considerable heckling at a few meetings this week in the southern State. He is in the difficult position of having to keep one eye on his own electorate of Kooyong, where ho has five opponents, four of whom are independents of more than average standing. United Australia Party officials cannot see the Government being defeated, and consider rather that it will strengthen its pgpsent majority as a result of the Labour feuds and factions in New South Wales.

The Country Partv is confident that its numbers in the House of Representatives will not be diminished, and, indeed, expects to win a couple of seats in New South Wales.

The state of the parties at the dissolution was;—House of Representatives:" Labour 33 United Australia Party 26, United Country Party 15, Independent 1. Senate: Government 20, Labour 16. RESULT NOT KNOWN FOR SOME TIME SYDNEY, September 20. (Received September 20, at 9.15 a.m.) The result of the Federal elections is likely to remain in doubt for some time owing to the plethora of candidates and parties and the checking of the soldiers’ votes here and abroad, also the distribution of preferences in doubtful contests.