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Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1931, Page 4

To-day Australia is in the throes ol a Federal election.- The Labour Government under Mr Scullin, according to nil accounts, stands in jeopardy of defeat, for not only is it by a strong National Opposition, but also by a group of Labour members adhering to. the Lang Plan, and opposed to the Scullin section. It was through the. split in the Labour party that the Government was defeated in Parliament recently and precipitated the election. The Government policy is fairly nebulous, excepting for the definite promises to tinker with banking and credit. This the Opposition asserts is nothing short of inflation to which Mr Theodore, of Finance, has been disposed since entering the Federal Ministry. If the election results as expected in favour of the Opposition, it is regarded as certain that there will” be a return of confidence, and that matters will he in, train for a greater degree of pros, perit.v. The new Ministry would be a composite one including representatives of the parties now allied in the National Opposition. 11l that respect it will he something of a National Government, because, Mr Lyons the loader is an avowed Labourite, though of the moderate variety. In the next few hours therefore, Australia will he busy writing a fresh page of its political history.