AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 23689, 24 September 1940, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

NO MATERIAL CHANGE PRIME MINISTER'S FORECAST Press Association —By Telegraph Copyright MELBOURNE, September 23. The Prime Minister (Mr 11. G. Menzies), commenting on the election, said that had New South Wales been in line with the other States there would have been a landslide in favour of the Government. “ I expect the position in both Houses to be the same as before,” he said. 11 We had been told it was impossible to win the Senate in five States, but it looks as though we have. I am not surprised at the New South Wales vote, where local issues and influences swing against us. My vote in my own electorate, Kooyong, is the greatest encouragement I have ever had in politics.” Mr Menzies declined to comment on the prospects of forming a National Government or reconstruction of the Ministry. Political circles in Perth report that should Mr Curtin bo defeated in Fremantle, which is declared inevitable, Mr A. E. Green, who is in ill-health, is prepared to resign the Kalgoorlie seat in Mr Curtin’s favour. Mr Green is the only member of the last Parliament who was not opposed in Saturday’s election. POSITION STILL OBSCURE NARROW MAJORITY FOR GOVERNMENT INDICATED SYDNEY, September 23. (Recevied September 24, at 8 a.m.) The latest election figures at 10 o’clock' to-night failed to indicate whether the Government or the Labour parties would obtain a working majority,* or whether a stalemate would be the outcome. The probabilities seem to favour the narrowest majority for the Government. The only certainty is that Labour will have the biggest single party in the new Parliament, Labour must win six seats in order to be able to govern. They already seem to have won four in New South, Wales, and possibly one in Victoria, but against this they appear to have lost one in South Australia, one in West Australia, and two in Tasmania. The position in 15 electorates is still extremely doubtful, and the final issue of these will depend on-the distribution of preference votes.

The Prime Minister regards the election results as a clear mandate for the prosecution of the war with the utmost vigour. He considered that the setback to the Government in New South Wales alone could be attributed to the sections of the Sydney Press which, while not actually advocating a Labour Government, had constantly decried the Government’s war effort and attacked individual Ministers.

The official Labourite, Mr S. M. Palstein, who appears to have won the Watson seat from the Government mem•her, Mr Jennings, is a practising barrister. He visited New Zealand some years ago, and participated in election campaigns there on behalf of Labour. He was on relief work, and obtained employment on the Auckland wharves.

Mr Lee, who is reported to be defeating Mr Curtin in Fremantle, is a former journalist, of Western Australia , He is a fluent speaker, and has unusual organising ability, and at present represents London mining interests in Australia. The Fremantle seat has occasionally been held by a non-Labour representative. GOVERNMENT S POSITION IMPROVED NINE AHEAD AT LATEST COUNT SYDNEY, September 24. (Received September 24, at 12.10 p.m.) The latest figures in the Federal election indicate the state of the parties as:— Government 39 Labour 30 Doubtful 5 Labour may win all five doubtful seats. At the present stage of counting Mr Menzies has gained the largest individual vote in the whole of Australia. The counting of the Senate votes improved the Government’s position in all States, and a win for the Ministerial parties in every State except New South Wales is still expected. The percentage of informal votes is very high. There were nearly 250,000 informal votes in the Senate returns for all States, excluding Western Australia. DEATH OF PRIVATE IN EGYPT [Pee United Peess Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, September 24. The death of Private Oliver Lowe, .vith the First Echelon in Egypt has been notified to his parents, Mr and Mrs J. E. Lowe, of Rangiora It is stated that death was due to shock following multiple burns, BOMBARDIER WOUNDED WELLINGTON, September 24. The following casualty in Egypt is officially announced: — Lance-bombardier J. P. J. Regan, accidentally wounded. His wife is Mrs J. P. J.'Regan, 137 Great North road. New Lynn, Auckland,