FEDERAL ELECTIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1931, Page 5

FEDERAL ELECTIONS

MR LYONS AT SYDNEY.

(Australian Press Association.)

SYDNEY, December 17

Mr Lyons, Leader of the Opposition in the Federal Parliament, in his final visit to Sydney before the Election, made a number of speeches. He was warmly received.

VOTING ON SATURDAY

A .STRENUOUS CAMPAIGN

VIEWS OF BOTH SIDES

(Received this day at 8 a.m.)

SYDNEY, December 18

Parties and principals of oi'e of the most «■ strenuous election campaigns, are counting the hours to polling day on Saturday, when tlie voters of Australia will take a hand to decide the fate of the Sculliii-'!Tn*od<iiv Labour Ministry.

The Prime Minister, and Opposition Leader, (Mr Lyons) join issue. Especially is this noticeable during a hurricano campaign, when a possible dozen meetings must be addressed hundreds of miles apart in one day. Mr Lyons has availed himself of airplanes, but Mr Scudin prefers trains and motor cars.

These leaders of the two great parties found it impossible to visit Western Australia, and little is heard in Eastern Australia as to how the campaign is proceeding there, Actually the .storm centra is New .South Wales. Mr Lyons says the rest of Australia is looking to Now South Wales to repair, on Saturday, the mistakes of the last political debacle. Mr Theodore '(Federal Treasurer), has been unabic to risk leaving his electorate, where political fireworks are nightly drawing big excited crowds. The only time Mr Theodore gets an uninterrupted hearing, is when he is speaking over the air, which is fairly often. The points he. is stressing which are- likely to turn the election is that the central reserve bank, as contemplated, will release the frozen assets of the community and will mobilise credit for use in business and trade, while a judicious expansion of credit- will provide work for the unemployed. He is fighting terrific odds in a hotbed of Lang planners, but he is confident of victory.

Leaders of the anti-Labour parties expect a comfortable working majority as the outcome of the polls, because •they claim them is a grave fear in the public mind ; in regard to political meddling with banking. There is keen resentment in rural areas at the Government's high tariff policy and its failure to deal firmly wjtli (.onimunism.. Mr iScullin. on the other hand, says lie scents a victory and remarks that his opponents are not so cocksure of victory as they were at the outset. He is relying on the Government’s. achievement in placing Australia on the high road to recovery by its tariff policy, which has increased employment, and its banking proposals to win the day on balturdaj.