The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1931. THE FEDERAL CONTEST.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 December 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1931. THE FEDERAL CONTEST.

| Ihh federal Elections l in Australia <ire now well launched. Even on Sunday evening, a political address was picked, up on the air from Sydney, so ! tl lil t the candidates are not sparing ! themselves in their efforts to reach j the people. \V ireless is playing a great pant in the election, as ail the leaders ' have now been heard on the air. It in one way of confounding the noisy element and those prone to maintain interruption. The defeat of the Sc til 11 n Government is evidence of' the split in the ranks of Labour in the Commonwealth. The Prim© Minister was not disposed" to adopt the Lang “plan, * j ijnd this disgruntled the five Lang followers in the Federal Parliament wno joined forces with the : Opposition (antiLabour) and the Government was defeated. Mr Seullin promptly and smilingly accepted the verdict and asked for and received a dissolution of Parlament. The election will take place on Saturday week, and as the whole of the Commonwealth has to be covered, it can well lie understood thaic speech over the air per medium of the wireless i s an indispensable adjunct to the contest. Mr Seullin, himself, is probably not in great disfavour in Australia even among his opponents. He is a man of parts and has qualities which have won him many friends. He lias been a sincere friend of labour, and it says something for him that lie would not subordinate liim■self io an impossible section of Labour. He lias been greatly criticised because of lais lack of stamina in dealing with extreme Labour, particularly in regard to -strikes and “industrial hold ups, and I'iis attitude has encouraged the loyal-i-tt movement leading up to the cry of , “Out with the-' Communists,” and tin?' creation of the New Guard. In matters of finance he elected to attach hint -elf to Mr Theodore, who was respoi ufible for suggesting inflation Sblri mes, rather than to Mr Lyons who f'tivn ured sober finance and moderate L-iilft'ur advancement, Mr SbulfljtLs chaise resulted in tlio loss of Mf* Lyons and Mr Fenton who had jointly held the ,fort for the Prime Minister while away in London; and lie missed two sterling' supporters. Mr Lyons is now tp-e Leader of the Opposition, and ha®’ opened the campaign, with a vigeroais ’speech. The d -: vision of the Labour party fighting over the Lang “pi -will be detrimental to Mr Seullin, 'bu’t probably at no time has the f'jiti-Labour party been more compact than it is to-dov. The several parties: have swung together for the occasion . and the general opinion is that t?Vey will triumph. Mr Bruce I who was the former Prime Minster, js out of the picture- at present because of his absence in London, but he is keeping well in the lime-light. It is expected he will he returned, but it is doubtful now if lie can displace Mr Lyons who seems to- be growing in favour nationally. Assuming the Labour interests are definitely routed, the new Government will be a strong team, and they should enter office at a very favourable time. Australia is said! to be rounding the corner—so far slovylv—but probably with the ousting of labour and the return of confidence, then more rapidly. A new orcler of events will .-come to., pass, and the epuntrv may then enter on the ■straight of prosperity. Nevertheless, Mr Seullin will make a hold fight. He lia® qualities which help him in favour. and the battle will not- be an easy viotorv. Desnite all the handicap of bay! times and the internal difficulties within his, party, the country has made headwav in most difficult times; and that will be to hi.s credit, hut Australia Irts lost its faith largely in Labour and the change will come to pass.