BRITISH ELECTIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 December 1923, Page 3

BRITISH ELECTIONS.

LATEST CABLE NEW?

AN ITALIAN VIEW ( Ekutkus Tki.kckams.] [.Received t li i h diiv sit 0.15 a.m.) ROME, Dir. o. The "(lioraiilo I)’I Lilia” says tli« European Governments arc somewhai worried at tlie result <ii th<' British elections, its they foresee the reappearance of Mr Lloyd George though it e difficult It. see how he can ally himselt with Lalmur. i'HKNUI VIEW. PA ISIS, Dee. 0. Some anxiety is shown by the press, as to the ultimate elfect of the British eleetioit results on Kranco-British relations, though unanimous opinion texpressed that the Government habeen defeated on the protection issue alone. It is widely ielt there will be another General election Indore lone. The consensus oi opinion is that, Britain is to lace a ilifiieult period, which a mioih:T of papers fear may prejudice the Entente. LOOKING TO I'TTITih.

f 1! i: emits Tk/.unit AMS.] (Received this duv at 0.15 a.m.) LONDON, Dee. 0. Amid the perplexity of trying to pierce the veil (.1 the ohseure future, to foresee who will carry on the Kino’s Government, it is noteworthy that Mr Baldwin has little sympathy among the newspaper eomnientators. Liberal opinion may lie crystallised into “.serve you right,” while the Conservatives are inclined to dwell on the lolly oi sacrificing a safe position against the advice of many Conservative leaders. All anxiously discuss the possibility oi finding tho greatest common measure of agreement between the parties to carry on as loop; as possible, so that tlie country may avoid another election in the near future, which any how would probably reproduce the present situation. A coalition is also unpopular; therefore most suggestions run on lines of a single party forming a Government, with the promise of another party’s support on more or less contentious legislation, but which party would continue in office at the present is subject to much disagreement. The Conservatives are content to regard protection as receiving a set back for many years, while the Liberals proclaim it definitely killed. An analysis of the votes east so far shows the following:— liner vn t i ve.s .5.-11 '.OOI Labour 1,177,(117 Liberals 1,251,550

LA HOC I! VI KM'S. (Received this day at 0.15 a.m.) LONDON*, Dee. 0. Mr Ramsay MacDonald received an ovation from a crowd, on arrival at I’.i Idington. There were cries of •'future premier.’’ Interviewed, he said lie was not surprised at the result of the election. Only the attitude of the newspaper* made him uncertain, as Labour latterly has not been supported except by its own paper. The feeling of workers towards tlie press was hitter, lie seriously asked the newspapers to reconsider their attitude and added that the •party might have dropped the capital levy, hill it was not seeking to snatch seats. It- was building on the site and the foundations will be ready, when tho time comes. Our task at present is to educate opinion. The results indicate Ate are succeeding. “DAILY MAIL'S” VIEWS. [“Tub Times” Service.] (.Received this day at D. 15 a.m.) LONDON. Dee. !). The “Daily Mail” in a leader says:—“The country's reply to Mr Baldwin’s action in precipitating an tmnnecessary election is violent and unmistakcahle as the Conservatives have sustained a series ol catastrophic defeats. Mr Baldwin must inevitably return to private lile as a leader who conducted his followers into a political Sedan, lie cannot hope to command future coiilkicnce. Ihe bithour I’arty conies back strengthened , but its gains are smaller than might have been expected, seeing thin the Conservatives and Liberals were engaged in cutting each other’s throats, instead of co-operating agaiiml a common disaster to tlie State. As a iesult, of the triangular contests a large number of Labourites were elected by a distinct majority. The evident duty of the moderates of tlie two <<>nparties is to co-operate against nationalisation and its accompanying inellieencies.” THE NEWS IN CANADA. OTTAWA. Dec. ». Canada received gloomily the news of Mr Baldwin’s defeat. “I he m.uiaeeuptance of tariff favours to the do- ' minions by Britain will probably mean that in Canada an agitation will commence for the removal of the Customs preference which tlie* dominion gi\(i» Britain for her goods.” says a leading Canadian newspaper, which adds, however, “that a cooler appraisal of the situation might not justily this act ion.”

Continuing, the paper soys: “Leery Canadian shoe manufacturer who sutIVrhl by competition I'roil Northanipton bools is almost certain to seize

tlio prosciit. opportunity to refzistei their objection to Canada s continued preference to tlie Motherland. Ihi Mieoess of Mr Baldwin at the polls ' would have meant new life for several Canadian nrodnets and industries. \„va Scotia and British Columbia fruit growers are in terrible strait.', and they had visions ol a huge trade. Lloyd George’s tin-can allusions have U-eii pregnant with meaning Jor the Pacific Coast salmon packers."

MR BALDWIN'S INTENfLiNS. A LONDON, 1 >ee. lb Sir (’*. Younger, on leaving MBaldwin" told a press interviewer that he did not know if Mr Baldwin would resign. He would meet Cabinet Mondav or Tuesday and see the King afterwards. The situation was most interesting. Women voters wrecked the Government. They were lugiened hv the gross misrepresentation regarding dear food. Our parly came hack too strong to decline responsibility. but not big enough to do auytltMr effective. 1 do not see bow we eiui go into opposition. We may carry on with the benevolent support ot another party. We certainly do not want another coalition with the liberals. Our people would not consent. Younger added that personal!,' he worn! prefer to he in opposition and see what the other fellows would do. Egerton Wake, Labour’s chief agent, states there is a strong feeling among V the .auk and file against joining harnts with the Liberals. One reason is tluwa.v the Liberals joined Conservatives in some constituencies in order to keep out Labourites. Thorne (a Commoner), said coalition with the Liberals would be a fatal mistake. Even if Mr Wd George had not, said what lie has about us, I da not think a single old or new member would favour a Liberal-Labour coalition ;

A SYDNEY VIEW. SYDNEY, December 10.

The “Herald” commenting on tho heaving of the British elections upon th< question of preference recently (•ranted to ceitaiu Dominion products. even i! the Conservatives lose ofliie, we do not suppose Mich preference will lw aholi-li.-d. Another matter iiivolv.-d in lhe elections is the Si!;gapo;e base, which v ill U- a valuable adjunct to the Au-tialia. Labour i- by no means onthilsinf-Ue a:,,,ut Ibis base, and Mi A-quitb lias deprecated, its construction. Should . a (love'iimoui other than ( ens*w\ at i\e

svdnkv “Ti.i.i::-Ai’ii’S” view SYDNEY. Dec. I".

'11,,. ••Telegraph” says that the issue el free trade or protection was entirely iuudunieiital. It had to he lought out between the Conservatives and Liberals with Labour making a meal of? both parties. Now that the. tariff issue is

settled and Briraiu n mains fixed to traditional Dee trade, she must fare a mere serious issue in lhe Labour police oi nationalisation or Socialism. Labour is, henceforth, the real opposition to both, parties. The old party duel is now ended and the ino-t eomiiioiiseiisi.. course would be flic realignment ol parties on the real issue io prevent the oven brow ol the economics and societv of Gloat Britain. NEWSPAPERS riiGE REFORM. (Received tfits day at 11.25 a.in.s LONDON, Dec. !). sev, lit v-lotl'.' per cent ol the electors voted as compared with seventy-live per cent in Non mber H>22. ! Imre are '215 members representing minorities as the result ol I riaiiguln r■" ntests. of whom ninety-four are Conservatives, seventyone Labour and forty-eight Liberals. One hundred and li fly-eight, scats changed hands of which eighty were the scenes of triangular contests. Labour's gains include forty-three in triangular lights and Die Liberals twenty-seven. Labour won seven seals with majorities exceeding ten thousand. the Conservatives three and the Liberals nolle. Labour won three seats with majorities below one hundred, the Liberals eight and the Conservatives five. The newspapers are calling attention to the fact that there were 21 id triangular contests and urge Parliament to enact preferential or proportional voting. A I.AIIOM! COMPLAINT. LONDON, Dee. !h Tin' Secretary of the Proportional Representation Society writes to the press that if proportional representation bait operated, ol the SIS con tested seats the Conservatives would have won 2117 instead ol 211. Labour lbs instead of IS!), the Liberals lit! instead Bid. Independents fl instead six. The Laboutdc- are taking legal advice over the counting ei Dc- vote- in Kcdgefiold which the I mis.- rvatives won with a majority oi six. Tin' complaint is lia-ed mi the Ia ei i bat a hundred properly marked ballot, papers had to be rejected because i hey bad not been stamped by the polling booth officers.