MR HUGHES’ PROSPECTS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3356, 8 December 1919, Page 2

MR HUGHES’ PROSPECTS.

LABOUR PARTY AND RELIGIION‘

' SYDNEY, .\'ov. 27. ‘ Old campaigners der:la.re they have l'11ev«~1' known such publi(- zwathy and lindifl'el‘ence as are being: (]iSpl:!_'y'ed in ‘lthc present" Federal eleetion. The }cumpaign- ends on December 13, when ‘there will be voting on fh\.'C(‘ is-sues—— ,‘rhe House of Representatives (for 75 ,mcmbel's), the Senate (for 18 mem‘bel's)———half the number in the Chamber), and the i'eferendum on the hqustion of glmzting‘ additional pO\‘.‘C:'S in the Comnlonwe:J.ltll 1-’:lrlialm~z-.f. ' The st'=:fe of partéies in th~. ‘.[()u<:wt’ I;{el)l'esell{‘2l,li\'(>s wt.-_.<: ;\'-.1t$.o11;1‘1i5.;; ~_.l§), Fm'nlel'.s 3, and Labour 233. 'l‘h:':l‘, Inezlns that T.:lhmn' mus? h':l’l 2111 its p"es;m'r seats and win .15 more bi-f'Cl',_. if ean get :1 m:‘.jm'it_\' in the ("h:'un})el'. The F;\.l'l;xel's’ l’:ll'r_\f is. ex;>eel<>Cl to in<'rea..<e it-_,« numbezs. but H" i‘ cmnes to L 1 final ehvciee, ‘rho Farxu ‘ ens \vill supp?er"t' bl‘.-.g .I‘C;ltio2la}i.<f.~= J rather than put Labour into powclf_ NATIONALIST‘ PHALANX IN SENATE.

The position in the Senate is curious, }'[‘hcre are 25 Nationalists and 11 l Labour men there. Senators are electl ed for six years, and hlalf of, them re}tire every threeyyears. The 18 who lretire on this occasion are thus labellled; ‘Nationalists 7, and Labour 11. l That. is to Say, all the Labour men in ltho Senate are now facing the elecltors, and even ifllabour wins all the 1,18 seats now vacant, Labour will not lhave :1 ma.jol'ity in the Senate, it will l still have difficulty in exercising power, len account of the solid Nationalist l plmlanx in the Senate. A victory for il/abcur in .tlnTs el-ecltion; is not exT per-.te<,l_. however. The Nationalists will lose some seats, but even if they lose their present majority they may expect to he kept in power with the help of the .t‘armers. Mr Hughes is meeting cordiality and general support. all over the country; the soldiers are definitely with him. The people generally appear to trust him, as the only man who gives any promise of capacity to lead the country through its Dost-war troubles. He has his distinct limitation, but. with Mr Watts a sick man, he is the only Sta'.esmla.n in sight. The N:l.ti(malisl’. Party is not trusted by the public, and. without the help of Mr lrluglies, it ‘had no hope of success. If ‘the present party is returned to power it will be a vict'ory for Mr Hughes, and not for the Nationalists. Any person acquainted with public opinion here will say that, positively and definitely. QUESTION FOR REFERENDUM. It can also be definitely said that the advent. of Mr Ryan as the Labour Leadeinhas had an extraordinary effect in consilidrating all the anti.-Catholic votes in the ant.i~Labour camp. Mr Ryan is definitely identified with the ‘powerful forces behind the Roman Catholic Church, as represented by Dr, Mannix, and this fact has driven the non-Catholic elements out of the Labour-Party to an extent that the Labour Leaders are now beginning to realise. The re.feren(lum questions are quite simple. The electors are asked whether or not they approve of two Bills which were passed through Parliament last October, and they have simply to indicate “Yes” or “No.” The first Bill gives the Commonwealth powers to legislate in regard to commercial activities and industrial affairs. It has not the power now, and therefore cannot deal with the high cost of living or in.dusfrial unrest. The second gives the Commornwealth power to natinnillise any service or industry which, after inquiry by the High Court, is found to be a monopoly. Cel'- T tain State Governments are formlallyl and ofiicially opposed to 111-3 granting 3 of the powers, but there is no organ—l ised opposition to them, and the pro-l posals are likely to receive thel authority wanted——a majority of votes in a majority of the States, and the total votes in favour throughout Aus tralia to be an absolute majority of all the votes cast,