BRITISH ELECTIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 October 1931, Page 5

BRITISH ELECTIONS

GOVERNMENT FORECAST. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON, October. The last minute prophecy of the mujmentous election reveals a forecast far more optimistic than anything that has thus far appeared in the estimates namely, a clear Government majority of 267, and a. Conservative majority <n 107 over all. This is not official bun s authoritative, i following the Sun-Her-ald’s analysis : of every constituency. Nevertheless it should be regarded in the light of politics and well-known uncertainties. If it is accurate, the Government supporters would be: Conservatives 361, Simon supporters 32, Samuel supporters 37, National Labour members 10, National 1. The latter is Rear Admiral Campbell, who is styled simply National, and is expected to heat Mr Arthur Henderson at Burnley. The Opposition would be: Labour 162, Lloyd George supporters 5, Mosley .1, and Independents 6. Sir 0. Mosley is likely to b© a new party of one. The forecast suggests that Mr MacDonald and Mr Henderson are both in grave danger, but that Sir H. Samuel and Sir D. Mac Lean are likely to hold their seats.

" RUSSIAN FORECAST. LOMXINi October. The Moscow correspondent of the "Sunday Times” says that the "Investia," in forecasting a big British owing to the Right, speaks more confidently tat the Conservatives ar e victorious before the election begins/' says the Russian writer. ‘‘The Liberal split makes the brilliant and sly Lloyd George ridiculous. The Liberals are routed in advance. Labour has been thrown into disorder by the defection of its most eminent leaders, whose revelations are merciless.” “Izvestia ' sees Communism as the only hop e in a hopeless world. ABOUT 200 MAJORITY HOPED. LONDON, October 26. To-morrow should witness the triumph of the National Government’s cause at the election. The speculation on the Stock Exchange, ;after fluctuating under a two hundred majority, to-day touched 204. This optimism is based on the widespread avoidance of triangular contests ail which Labour rode to victory in 1929. There is much conjecture as to the fat! of Mr R. MacDonald. It is recognised that his' task is herculean, but Mr MacDonald is quietly confident. Excluding constituencies where members have been returned unopposed, the total in the electorates is fc7,346,000, or about one million more than last electiori. Women are in the majority to the extent of nearly two n* millions, of 215 contests, return- . Jng 231 members, will be announced between ten o'clock on Tuesday night and two o'clock on Wednesday morning. Most elaborate arrangements are being made to announce figures quickly. Seventy-five thousand clerks are employed in p.olling booths throughout the country of whom twenty-five thous-

and will do the actual counting. The / British Broadcasting Company will 1 continue broadcasting results till four in the morning. “There will be a severe reckoning with the party after the election/’ says the “Daily Telegraph's’’ Labour correspondent. “it is recognised that the trade unions will pay the piper, but it is felt that the Trades Union Council iias caL'ed a disastrous tune. One T.U.C. official admitted he was most concerned as to the extent of the disaster, adding : ‘‘But Labour representation will come again!’” The “Daily Herald’s” final appeal before the polling is a call to the voters to save the : r country from the criminal folly of tariff protection and to save the workers from further attacks on their standard of living, and aiiso to save democracy from the ambitions of would-be dictators. ON election EVE. # LONDON, October 27. The “News-Chronicle” says : A certain Vice-Admiral is taking a legal opinion as to whether .Rear-Admiral K. G. Dewar, who figured in the Royal .Oak court-martial case in 192&, can be prosecuted for alleged sedition uttered in a pamphlet. Admiral Dewar is the Socialist candidate for Portsmouth, where the Conservative candidate, Sir Bertram Falie, has had' to cancel all his election meetings, owing to organised hooliganism. The pamphlet in Y question is headed: “The Nation Faces the Bankers.” Tt has pictures of the ex-Kaiser, and Rt. Hon. Mr | Montague Norman (Head of the Bank of England) and is captioned: “The 'British Navy at Jutland in 1916 beat the Kaiser; at Invergorden in 1931 it beat Normanj Mr B. Falle°'t'ftid that the spirt of Bolshevism was abroad in Britain’s 'premier port, and that freedom of speech had been abolished. , The Conservative Party agent asks the Admiralty after the election if Admiral [Dewar is entitled to continue drawing << ,his retired p;y of £950 if his action is / disloyal. Admiral Dewar admirs that the leaflet is in bad taste, but he ridicules the idea of disloyalty or of an insult to the •Naw in which he has spent his life.

CANDIDATES DISABLED. LONDON, October 27. Rt.- Hon. A. Henderson remains in bed owing to illness on .polling day.

His opponent, Admiral was his first visitor this morning. Another candidate out of the fight is Sir G. P. Trevelyan (ihe Labourite), who is contesting Everton, and who became suddenly ill whire addressing a meting last night. He was operated on for appendicitus at four o’clock this morning. Yet another candidate out of the fight- is Mr Flanagan, the Communist candidate contesting the Gorton Division of Manchester, who has been imprisoned. This is for his participation in unemployed disturbances. The Home ■Secretary has refused to release Mr Flanagan. Mr Paul Latham (Conservative candidate for Scarborough) now fights as a Baronet, his father, Sir Thomas Latham, dying to-day.

VOTING COMMENCES. UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS. (Received this day at 8 n.m.) LONDON, October 27. Conditions in the northern half of England were ideal when voting commenced. Bathed in sunshine, record polls are expected in many northern districts. A lady of 106 years voted at Folk-stone before nine, and another of the same age at Croydon. The present state of parties including unopposeds and Universities is Conservatives forty-nine, National Liberals eight, Li* our six, Liberals five. The parties will be classified thus in the election results.—Government, Conservatives, National Liberals, National J.aboui', National Independents. Opposition, Labour, Liberals new Party, Communists, Independents.

DENSE FOG IN LONDON. LONDON. October 27. Londoners began polling in a donee fog. Shivering queues waited for the booths to open, th© enthusiasm of early voters betokening a heavy poll. Motor cars, whereof, two hundred thousand are engaged, country wide, crawled to the booths. An enterprising Claphain elector, hired bellringers to guide fog-bound voters. THE FIRST RESULTS. (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) LONDON. October 27. 'WORCESTER. Crawford • Greene (Australian Conservative) 16357 B. R. Fairbairn (National Liberal) Hubert Bolton (Labour) ... 3874 (unchanged). Parties at 11 p.m.—Conservatives sixty-two, National Liberals fourteen, Labour six, Liberals one. Gains:—Conservatives six, National Liberals fourteen. Losses.—Labour six, Liberals thirteen. Others one. MR HENDERSON DEFEATED. Mr Arthur Henderson (Labour Leader) has lost his seat, A HUGE WIN (Press Association —Special). Rear Admiral Campbell (Nationalist) defeated Arthur Henderson (Labour) by nine thousand votes. There are 613 members in the House of Commons, the geographical representation being as follows: ENGLAND. Metropolitan Boroughs ... 62 Provincial Boroughs 193 Counties 230 Universities ‘ Total 492 WALES. Boroughs 11 Counties 2 f University 1 Totnl 36 ‘ SCOTLAND Burgs 33 Counties 38 Universities 3 Total 74 NORTHERN IRELAND. Boroughs 4 Counties 8 University 1 Total 74 Grand Total ... \ 015 The expenses incurred by candidates at the General Election in May, 1929, totalled £1,213,507. The aggregate Party results of the 1929 election were as follows: — Labour 289 Conservatives 260 Liberals 38 Others ...• 8 Total 615 The Labour Part/ von 227 seals in | England; 25 in Wales; and 37 in ScotI land. The Conservatives’ wins were; 220 in England: 1 in Wales; 22 in Scotland: and 11 in Northern Ireland. The Liberals won 34 seats in England; 10 ill Wales; and U in Scotland. Votes recorded at the 1929 elections totalled 22.648.375, distributed ns follows ; Conservatives ... 8.6"0.473 labour 8.389.512 Liberals 5.399.570 Communists ■■■ ; >0.614 Others 243.266 22.648.375 No lower than 110 candidates forfeited their denosits EC.150).