COMMONWEALTH ELECTIONS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 13, 16 June 1913, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH ELECTIONS

IN THE BALANCE,

PARTIES MAY BE EQUAL.

By Cable—Press Sydney, June 14. If the final figures give the Hume seat to Sir William Lyne the Federal Government will remain in office; if not, the Ministry will resign. In the event of Sir William Lyne's return a peculiar position will be created. His state of health will -possibly prevent his attending Parliament, and the parties will then be equally divided, and neither will be able to do anything without the indulgence of the other. The reason for the delay in the Hume results is that the electoral officer, departing from the usual custom, verified all absent votes before counting to-day. Ballarat asks for a re-count, and many complaints of possible trouble regarding the' conditions of the poll are recorded in several other electorates.

Mr. Cook, addressing the Women's Liberal League, said that no matter how Labor twisted the figures about they were in a minority of one. Whatever happened, the power of Labor was scotched. There would be no stable footing in Australia till the Liberals had a fair, and clear stand-up fight with Labor with interest at stake. When it would come he did not pretend to know, but he advised them to keep their powder dry. j The, .whole electoral machinery would need .overhauling for the,next.election r sec that there might 'befl..fair field and' no favor. ' .

FRAUDULENT VOTING.

Received 15, 5.5 p.m. Sydney, June 15.

The newspapers give numerous instances of alleged abuses of the ballot, quoting actual instances of impersonation of voters absent from the district for years, and in some instances dead.

THE HUME SEAT. Received 16, 12.30 a.m. Sydney, June 15. There is much interest in the Hume returns, which,will be finished to-mor-row.