THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 365, 16 April 1910, Page 5

THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

LATEST RETURNS. MR. DEAKIX INTERVIEWED. MR. FISHER'S VIEWS. Bj Cable —Press Association—Copyrifht. „ ' Sydney, Friday. *our New South Wales seats are still >in doubt. In three the latest figured give the Liberals a substantial margin, but in the fourth, the rulming is ver# close. Melbourne, Friday. Mr. Deakin, interviewed, said the rejection of old and cherished comrades! was hard to bear. Indeed, in such circumstances public life ceases to be worth living from any personal point of view. He had never been sanguine as to the result of the election owing to the lack of patriotic interest and trustworthy information upon the great issues involved. The lesson taught was that henceforward the Liberals cannot rely on obtaining a full poll upon mere extempore preparations just prior to the contest. The education of the indifferent and the uninformed will have to be undertaken in advance and systematically pursued.

Probably a Cabinet meeting will be held early next week, and the situation reviewed. In the light of the final returns the impression is that Mr. Deakin will resign and advise that Mr. Fisher be sent fop, ' MR. FISHER INfl'iliVtKHVKij, r ~ • - Brisbane, Friday. Mr. Fisher, infaftviewed, sAicl lie desired to thank t>.e petiole fOi' their vote in favor of his party;.. Labor's policy: was a national one. They were anxious to safeguard every interest in State and Commonwealth. The people, he said, seem to 'be more Australian than their representatives in Parliament. He was happy to think that the Labor Party had in some slight way given them the

opportunity to express their national feelings. The task set the new Government was not a light one, but it must be faced with determination and courage.

ENGLISH LABOR. •CORDIALLY CONGRATULATES \ COMRADES. London.. April 14. The executive of t.lie Labor Party lias cabled congratulations to Australian Labor 011 the magnificent result of the elections. The Pall Mall Gazette states that Britain's interest in the oversea dominions is shown by the space the Press is devoting' to the Australian elections, and is of the opinion that it is very* sensible to complete the elections in a single -day. The Westminster Gazette states that in the past the Labor Party lias aimed at the exclusion of men and goods. We now see the shape this policy has taken in legislation. The New Protection is causing; special alarm to Australian, wealthy people. Their fundamental fallacy is in arguing that manufacturers should only he protected so lone as they hand the a'Wnter part of the increased profit to workers. . THE REFERENDUM RETURNS. NOT COMPLETE YET. .Sydney, Friday. , The latest referendum returns favor "Yes" 011 both issues, but the bulk of the votes have still to be counted. The Liberal outlook in Victoria is con siderably improved. Mr. Deal;in and Mr. Quick are considered safe.

Messrs. ITarpcr, Cartv, Salmon, and Irvine are likely to make good. At the Sydney Labor Council meeting the speakers included a number of successful candidates, whose .speeches were in a jubilant tone and contemplated a term of office.

Mr. Watson, who expressed himself overjoyed at the 'unexpectedly overwhelmi'ii- victory, attributed the slump in "fusion stock" to the revolt of the' majority asainst the policy of marking time and mer" negation. He -predicted that Labor will secure a maioritv at the forthcoming New South Wales elections.

OIL AND WATER,

AUSTRALIANS IN LONDON.

INTERVIEWED ABOUT POLITICS,

Received April 15, 10.10 p.m., London, April 15',

Many Australians in London are greatly surprised at the result of the elections. Those interviewed-agree that no great change in Commonwealth policy is likely to describe the difference between the majority and minority as rather "pace than 'principle." They emphasise the point that capital need not be alarmed, and recall the Laborites' Imperialist spirit in connection with the Australian navv and compulsory service. One Australian remarked' that an m terestinsr point was not "'Wlia* is the Labor Government <roincr to do?" for all Governments in Australia <'o mwtieallv the same thine, but '"How have they attained their position?" . , Another summarises the fusionist situation T>v saving that me cannot miix oil with water.

A HEAVY POLL.

FUSIONISTS DWINDLED,

LABOR "JUMPED."

Received April 10, 0.45 a.m. Sydney, Last Night. The return of Messrs. McDougall, Gardiner, and Rae, a Labor bunch for the Senate, is assured.

The poll has been very heavy—a record for the State. In the last House of Representatives the Fusionists held 14 seats for New 1 , South Wales -ami Labor 13. but in the new House the Fnsionists have dwindled to !>, while Labor lias jumped to IS. Revised returns of representatives of all the States show—Labor 44, Fnsionists 31. . . . In the Senate elections Labor is absolute in New South Wales. Victoria. Westralia. South Australia, and Tasmania, while Queensland so far has two Liberals and one Labor at the head of the poll. v