DOUBTFUL ISSUE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 251, 20 September 1940, Page 2

DOUBTFUL ISSUE

AUSTRALIAN ELECTION.

POLLING TO-MORROW.

(United Press Association —Copyright.) SYDNEY, Sept. 19. Although polling in the Federal elections takes place on Saturday, following a whirlwind campaign by 333 candidates for the House of Representatives, it is quite impossible, according to disinterested political observers, to predict the outcome. Early in ’the campaign the belief was popular that the Menzies Government, in the emergency circumstances of to-day, with its “all-in” war policy, would undoubtedly receive a mandate to carry on. Labour’s programme, similarly based, appeared to admit of no substantial reason why there should he any changing of horses crossing the. stream, but within the past fortnight a change has come over the scene. Tlie customary side-issues and fault-finding have intruded to the Government’s disadvantage and discomfiture. Strangely, most of the criticism, when directed against the Ministry, has come from members of the United Australia Party, and not alone from Labour opponents.

BREAK FROM TRADITION.

In this election the party machine has departed from custom by endorsing more than one Government candidate for certain constituencies, and according to reports, some of these have a definite chance of ousting their retiring Parliamentary colleagues. A case in point is the Parramatta electorate, where the Minister of Supply and Munitions (Sir Frederick Stewart) has seven opponents, two of whom are fellow members of his party who are making political capital out of petrol rationing. Troubles are pressing him closely. The Postmaster-General (Mr H. Y. Tliorby) is getting bitter opposition, and his prospects of success are far from rosy. A crop of Independent candidates has tended to complicate the Government’s task of focussing public, attention on vital war issues, but it is generally conceded that the fate of tlie Government will largely be determined by the voting in New South Wales.

Tlie Labour Party campaign directors are exceedingly optimistic. They claim that the results in three recent by-elections in New South Wales, particularly ltyde, also Corio (Victoria), earlier in the year, reveal an unmistakeable swing to Labour. They are hopeful of winning at least four seats in New South Wales, including Barton by Dr. Evatt, formerly of the High Court Bench, who has given a great fillip to the.Labour campaign, and claim they will win at least three seats in other States. They require to win altogether only five in order to obtain a lio.rrow/ working majority in the House of Representatives. LABOUR’S HOPES.

Furthermore, Labour expect to get control of the Senate. They possess an initial advantage of holding 14 of the 17 seats not contested at this election and only need to win Senate seats in two of the six. States in order to achieve their objective. The Prime Minister (Mr R. G. Menzies) has had a rousing reception in most large centres in eastern States, but lias. had to submit to considerable heckling at a few meetings this week in the southern State. He is in the difficult position of having to keep one eye on his own electorate, Kooyong, where he has five opponents, four of whom are Independents of more than average standing. United Australia Party officials cannot see the Government being defeated ; rather they believe they will strengthen their present majority as a result of the Labour feuds-and factions in New South Wales. The Country Party is confident that their numbers in the House of Representatives will not be diminished and, indeed, expect to win a couple of seats in New South Wales. The state of the parties at the dissolution was:— HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Labour 33 United Australia Party -... 2d United Country Party ... 15 Independent ... 1 SENATE. Government 20 Labour 16

DELAY IN RESULT.

EXPECTED IN SYDNEY. (Rec. 9.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 20. The result of the Federal elections, to be held to-morrow, is likely to remain in doubt for some time owing to the plethora of candidates and parties and the checking of soldiers’ votes here and abroad, also the distribution of preferences in doubtful contests.