Federal Elections.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1922, Page 1

Federal Elections.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. SYDNEY, Dec. 17. The Federal elections yesterday were favoured with line weather, and the polling proceeded steadily throughout the day. The electors throw aside the apparent apathy which previously had marked tho campaign, when it came to the final tussle. The counting of the primary votes ceased at midnight. In .10 case was the count complete. Therefore it is impossible yet to give any reliable estimate of the state of tho pa)ties. In 67 out of the 76 electorates, however, it is considered the count is sufficiently, advanced to forecast the results. It is considered that the respective parties will win scats as follows : Nationalist Rarty 30 Labour Party 28 Country Party 9 However, there is snll margin enough for considerable changes in these seats. . The outstanding features of these incomplete figures are a promised Labour gain of four seats, and the loss by the Country Party of five seats. There lias been intense interest in the Hughes-Piddingtou duel in North Sydev. AH Piddington, Iv.C has poll ed well, but the Prime Minister now holds nu unassailable lead of four thousand votes. Air Catts, the leader of the new “Majority” Labour Party, ins been defeated. , c Air Lomond, (Assistant ..Unister of Repatriation), and Air Laird Smith (ex-Minister o ftlio Navy) have apparently lost their seats. Air Hughes has issued a against the writer of an article 111 the “Daily Mail” and the editor, to appear in court on Alondav, with a view to instituting proceedings for criminal liboly'over a report as to Japanese settlement in Australia- The report has been tiro subject of conflicting newspaper accounts lor several days. A Japanese merchant acquired properties along the coast and in the Blue Aloun-tn.in.-i. The “ATail. v contended jtlie Japanese- lias done this with the knowledge of All* Hughes, hut the lattci is doming all knowledge of it. ' (Received this day at S a.lll ') SYDNEY. Dec. 18. It will he several days before the Senate returns are sufficiently complete to disclose the real position. So far they are. so small they give little indication. New South Wales. A ietoria. South Australia and Tasmania have each three, and Queensland four. In N.S-.W. Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia, respectively, a Labourite leads, with two nationalists following. In Queensland two Labourites arc followed by the Nationalist and Country Party. No West Australian figures have been received.

There is much rejoicing in official labour circles at -the complete wipe out of the Majority Labour Party. Catts and the whole of his live followers were defeated. Labour also considers tin' good showing made by Piddington against Hughes a severe knock to the National loader’s prestige. Earle Page, (loader of Country Party) was elected with a good majority. Tho counting was resumed to-night. Later returns point to a- considerable change in the narlior figures when finality is reached, and that Labour will improve its position. Nationalists lose ground as far as New South Wales is concerned. It looks as if Labour has won fourteen out of twenty-eight seats, Nationalists nine. Country Party two, and three are doubtful.

Figures received from other States are less complete, but it is regarded as probable that Afr Hughes will fail to secure a majority and Labour will probably be the bigger party. Besides Lammond it looks as if ATassey Greene (Minister of Defence) will lose bis seat. Poynton (Postnuister-GenoitiQ, Rodgers (Alinistor of Customs). Sir Elliott (Speaker), are also in a doubtful position, but later figures and second preferences upon which a number of seats deiicnd. may pull them through.