FEDERAL ELECTIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1928, Page 6

FEDERAL ELECTIONS

VIEWS ON RESULTS

(Australian Press Association.) (United Service.)

LONDON, Nov. 19

The “Daily Telegraph” says:—lt is apparent that Mr Bruce will retain office by a. sufficient majority. The unhappy shipping and waterside disputes which led to much rioting and some bloodshed, undoubtedly intensified feeling on both sides. Labour mobilised all its forces to punish Mr Bruce for his intervening in a strike. Labour has gained a few seats but has failed in its purpose. Mr Bruce, from an electoral standpoint, was .-at a disadvantage. He is conscious that Australia needs to reduce her expenditure, and to moderate her zeal for more or less experimental social reforms. Therefor he insisted.on the necessity for a sober and thrifty policy of government, in which he offers the electors nothing new, and it necessarily places him at a disadvantage in such an advanced democracy as Australia. Mr Scullin, the Labour Leader, on the other hand, had a long series of superficially attractive proposals, designed to catch workmen’s votes. A majority of the electors has refused to be tempted by Air Scullin’s picture of a selfdependent Australia, keeping overseas goods, and ■ immigrants- out, and making the rest of the world pay what Australia chooses to ask for her province The Nationalist Party and the Country Party have wisely decided to continue their co-operation. Dr Earl Page (Country Party leader) will' derive satisfaction from the electors’ approval of his proposal that the Commonwealth Government shall lx? authorised to negotiate with the States for the taking over of their debts, whereby the credit of Australia will undoubtedly be strengthened. COUNTRY RETURNS. SYDNEY, Nov. 19. Fresh returns from a majority of the electorates improve the Government’s position, as was anticipated, large parcels of votes from country centres having in the main gone either in favour of the Nationalist Party or the Country Party nominee, and more clearly defining the position of doubtful candidates. Mr Bruce should have a clear working majority of nine or ten. FOUR DOUBTFUL SEATS YET. SYDNEY, Nov. 19. The Labour Party has to date won seven seats in the Federal House of Representatives, three of which are in New South Wales. It is now improbable that Labour will win more than a couple more scats in .he' House.

DEFEATED NATION ALT STS

SYDNEY, Nov, 19. Two defeated candidates in New South Wales are, Sir Elliot Johnson, the former Speaker in the Mouse of Representative*. and Air Manning (Govcrntvent Whip). All the Ministers have Been returned. Mr Bruce expresses gratification at the Government’s return with what he terms “a substantial majority.” He added that it was inevitable that some scats should be lost, because at the 1925 elections tbe Government bad been returned with the biggest majority in the history of the Federal Parliament.

“With the swing of the pendulum,” he said, “a few Labour seats have reverted to that party, which was not unexpected.” Air Bavin (X.S.W. Premier) commented: “The outstanding feature of the elections has been that Labour has been emphatically defeated. I do not think that anybody expected the results of the 1925 elections to be repeated on this occasion.”

STATE OF THE PARTIES

SYDNEY, Nov. 19

The position of the parties in the last Federal Parliament was as fol-lows:—Anti-Labour 52, Lalxiur 23. The figures at present are:—Anti-Labour 41, Labour 30, Doubtful 4.

THE SENATE.

SYDNEY, Nov 19

The latest returns for the Senate show that the Labour Party are in the ascendancy ■’ in three of the States, namely. New (South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. It is now practically certain that all three of the Senate seats for New South Wales will go to the Labour Party. ” The strength of the parties before the election was as follows: —Anti-Labour 27, Labour 9.