SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ELECTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1921, Page 3

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ELECTION.

THJUMI’H FOR LIBERALS. SYDNEY, April 12. Contrary to general expectations, the general elections in South Australia have resulted in a triumph for the Liberals—who are practically the Conservatives of Australian politics. When the great political split oectired in connection with conscription, L> there wa*& in most of the States a fusion j between the old Liberals and the, pro- } eonscriptionists who had broken away from the Labour Party, and this new S combination took the name of Nationalists. This conibinaton and name have endured in most of tho States, but in ' r South Australia the union was far from j! happy. Eventually, when the elections e were approaching, the Party 1 everted ,f to tho name of Liberal, and left the old-conscriptionist Labourites to face „ the electors as independents. They 1, kept the name of Nationalists. i t Austrailian public opinion is so ad-

vnneed that none of the Eastern States will go back to the name of Liberal, and it was thought in these States that the South Australian moderates had signed their own death-warrant. But the Liberals there were very well organ ised, under their vigorous young 1 re--1 mier, Mr Barwell, while the Labour Party appeared querulous and stupid. Tts programme was not attractively pre- ' sented, and its leadership was weak. ; The net result is that the Liberal Party—which for a year has been actually in a minority, only holding office r by favour of the anti-conscription La--3 bon rites—comes hack from the electiot » with a clear majority of 10 at least ir 3 a House of 46. Labour went to tin l country holding 17 seats, and come: I back with only 16. The Liberals havi s held their own seats and, in addition ■- have captured all except one. of tin d seats formerly held by the anti-conscrip e tion Labourites. The latter have ever, t reason to claim that they have bee: badly treated. They broke their Lfl hour allegiance on a vital question (. principle. They allied with the Li' ends, and then the latter, findiim •!■ alliance uncomfortable, threw them o In their now weakened condition die were not able to make a vigorous pn>t d fight, and the Liberals have stepped i ;s and captured their seats. Their defer >r is the only feature of the election whit It the "true blue” Labourites find cm