THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1918, Page 5

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

PRIME FIVE POINTS. London, Dec. 11. The Coalition whips have issued an official statement declaring thai Mr. Lloyd George's five election points are: Punish the Ivaiser. Make Germany pay. Get the soldiers home as early as possible. Fair treatment for returned soldiers find sailors. Better housing and social conditions. Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. THE FINAL.WEEK. . PACE AND INTEREST , QUICKENED. Received Dee. 12, 8.15 p.ni, London, Dec. 11. The general election campaign is now in its final week. Both pace and interest are quickened. The contest* where there are more than two candidates are unprecedented. Three-cornered fights are the rule rather than the exception. This is generally accounted for by the disappearance to a large extent of the old party distinctions, also to the doubling of electorates by the Reiorm Bill, and the great change in the boundaries of constituencies. It is useless for anyone to pretend to know how the women's and soldiers! votes will go. Altogether there are 471 Coalition candidates, comprising 322 Unionists and 181 Liberals; 18 National Democrats; IW7 non-Coalition candidates, compris* fag 75 Unionists, 233 Liberals, Sio Laborites, 12 Socialists, 23 Federation of 1 Discharged Soldiers, 24 National Partyites, 78 Sinn Feiners, 59 Irish National-1 ists, 120 Independents and and 7 Agricultural Party. The balance represent various small sections. The general feeling is that Mr. Loyd George will come back with an immense majority of combined Unionists and Liberals, with the. principal minority composed of Utborites, who may be expected to outnumber the Liberals who are supporting Mr. Asquith. The voting will take place on Saturday, but the votes will not be counted until two weeks later, owing to the overseas sol* diers' votes. —Keuter. CONTESTS IN IRELAND. FIGHTS BETWEEN NATIONALISTS AND SINN FEINEKS. London, Deo. 10. Stories of the election scenes in various parts of Ireland show that there are frequent fights between Nationalists and Sinn Feiners. Sticks, stones, and bottles are the favorite weapons, and a number of people have been seriously injured. Some Sins Feiners replied with revolvers. COTTON STRIKE. • *— DEMAND FOR 50 PER CENT. INCREASE. London, Dee. 11. It is expjeted that Mr. Lloyd George will intervene" af the "cStton Strike. The Committee of Production in London yesterday heard the claim of the weavers for a GO per cent, increase on the current wages. The employers contend that this will mean an advance of 82} per cent, on pre-war wages. The committee reserved its decision. 26 TRANSPORTS. TO SAIL FOR AUSTRALIA IN JANUARY. Received Dec, 12, ISO p.m. • London, Dec. 11. Twenty-six transports containing Australian troops are expected to sail homeward in January. Some trouble has arisen at Devonport, where a large number of Australians refused to embark on a transport. The reason is unknown.—Aus. NX Cable Assoc. ARAB GENERAL VISITS LONDON. London, Dec. 11. Sheriff Jeisul, the Arab Generalissimo, has arrived in London to 'discuss Arab aspirations.