COMMONWEALTH ELECTIONS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 4, 5 June 1913, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH ELECTIONS

THE SENATE RETURNS.

By Cable —Press Association—Copyright. Received 3, 0.45 p.m. Sydney, June 3.

The Senate figures are largely incomplete in all the States. In New South Wales the returns to date are:—Gould 305,224, Milieu 298,729, Oakes 297,547. The nearest Labor candidate is Grant, 256,371. Victoria.—Russell 275,662, Barnes 269,596, McKissick 268,579. Queensland —Maughan 104,049, Mullen 102,838, Ferricks 102,480. The nearest liberal is Chataway 91,302. South Australia.—O'Loughlin 90,041, Newland 89,820, Senior 87,911. The nearest Liberal is Vardon 76,574. Westralia.—Pearce 54,750, Needham •54,103, Lynch 54,210. Tha nearest Liberal is Butcher 47,124.

Tasmania..— Keating 36,137, Bakap 36,119, Clements 35,112. The nearest Labor man is Hurst 31,789. FURTHER RETURNS.

A PRECARIOUS POSITION.

Received 3, 8.5 p.m. Sydney, June 3. As later returns arrive it is evident that the poll is heavy everywhere. It is ■eatimated i Q round numbers that the votes cast in 72 contested electorates up to this morning were about 200,000. Abaentep votes" have not been counted, and range from a few in some cases to several thousands mothers, such as Perth, so that even the number of electorates counted safe are not altogether out of a 'Stage of doubt. Whichever party wins, it is apparent that the margin will be so aarrow that the position; in the new House will be unsatisfactory and precarious. THE REFERENDA.

CLOSE VOTING,

Received, 3, 8.5 p.m. Sydney, June 3. The referenda count is likely to cover several more days, running so far closer than anticipated. The voting to date on the six questions is as follows:

Yes No Trade and Commerce.. 457,229 486,713 Corporations 456,631 465/222 Industrial 458,879 475,250 Railways 450,912 464,264 Trusts . . 460,668 459,439 -Monopolies 437,247 443,770

A CLOSE CONTEST.

STILL IX THE BALANCE.

Received 5, 12:15- a.m. Sydney, June 4. Dlawarra and Ballarat are still seesawing. At the former the Liberal candidate pulled the Labor lead down to 119. At Ballarat the Labor candidate is leading by eight votes on the present figures. With the stipulation that absent votes may; upset some calculations, Herald makes the position: Liberal 38, Labor 35, doubtful 2.

The Telegraph makes the figures: Liberals 38, Labor 37. The balance of opinion is in favor of Labor winning both doubtful seats, and the final figures giving the liberals a majority of one. MINISTERIAL RETICENCE.

RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT IMPOSSIBLE.

Received 4, 11.40 p.m.

Sydney, June 4.

Messrs. Fisher and Cook decline to express any definite opinion until the position is better defined.

Mr. Hughes predicts a deadlock. If the final returns give the Liberals a majority they can pass no laws with which the Senate, which has an overwhelming Labor majority, does not agree. They cannot even get supply! One thing, he says, is certain, that, responsible. Government under such circumstances is impossible. *