FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLV, Issue 262, 21 December 1903, Page 2

FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

GAIIr FOH THE OPPOSITION. SYDNEY, Dec. 10. Not counting Kiverina, of which there is still doulbt, and which latest ri-turns show is likely to go to tiieni, the Opposition has gained three seats in New South Wales—New England -where Mr Lonsdale 'displaced Mr Sawyers (the old memlber), Cowper, where Mr Clarke (Government Whip) suffered defeat at the hands of Mr Lee, and Hunter (Sir Ei Barton's old seat) where Mr Liddel scored a thumping majority over the Ministerialist. The Opposition lost one seat (> !wyder) to the Labour Party.

In the Senate, the Opposition gains one seat. Tiie Labour candidate (Mr Griffiths) has fallen a long way behind the Freetrade bunch, while the two lady candidates ocecupy second and third to last places on the list. i|n Victoria Miss Goldstein stands third from the bottom for Carlo. Mr Donald Macdonald, the wiar correspondent and journalist, made a good fight, but Mr Crouch, the old member, wus too strong for him, •

In the Queensland election Mr C'u\» pin was I'lected itn relate of Mr Macdonald Peterson for Brisbane. One of the features of the New South Wales election is that three members of the Assembly contested Federal seats, and that two (Messrs Lonsdale and Webster) weie successful.

In Victoria nine members of the Assembly and Council resigned, but only two (Messrs Trenwith and Grattan Wilson; were elected.

NEWSPAPER COMMENTS. THE MORNING HERALD ON THE SITUATION. SYDNEY, Dec. 19.

The Herald, in a leading article, says An outstanding fact of the elections is that the labour party has come back .with an increase of str&ngth. In New South Wales alone it was held in reasonable' check. It seems that this is inore than a reconnaisance of the invading army, but represents, it wou>d seem, a claim (not fay rtn presentation, but Ag against such the"«(ean, good c4t<zenisbip of th® Commonwealth may have in «4Mt the attacking Labour Party's mfe thods. It appears not to have tot merit, even bf knowing that it wants, and its representatives aewu reduced to the one irottnct-Ho clutch at a plank, It may tot, therefore, that we overestimate tho solidarity of labour, awl that its near encroachments orf purpose makes it the most surprising comment on the presence of Labour Da politics, for it shows that after all the highest intelligence is not found in the lowest ranks, and that government by the least fit WOU& not necessarily herald the niillennrum of concord and peace. It might not have been thug, K ,he that Labour would have tpken M enlightened ft* well as self-interest-' ed view, but experience 'sho&s ij&ft there HAtlie hope of tlfet tin ti* immediate future, and we shall have to struggle along agfeinrt misguided sentiment and mistaken selfinterest until such time as education does its slow but steadfast work, or at least until such time as am indifferent majority are gCMtded to assert their strength. Received 21, 0.53 a.m. LONDON, Dec. SO. St. James' Gazette considers the La/bowr vjctqry misfortune for Australia. The ' Daily News saj's tho election is dead against Mr Chamberlain'# policy, to which Australia i» indifferent.

The Standard thinks the moderates may save the situation by coalition, thouglh that is unlikely. The paper predicts that the Common, wealth will experience the moat trying rogiime of fears amd tio<gmaa of militant and mtcleramt trade unionism, which will he applied in a drastic, provocative form. It Is aigpifi. caul that control has passed to tte most ratuu protectionists, whlfa cytoniqa fytd» - hartfli 2 kind word ftniwn Australian worker! | —no whisper at any return for otto* ed advantages.