BRITISH ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1922, Page 5

BRITISH ELECTIONS.

FORECAST OF ELECTION. A CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY. SETBACK TO LABOR By Telegraph.—Press Ann-Copyright. Received Nov. 12, 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 11. The newspapers and party headquarters have begun estimating the general election prospects. Several newspapers, after a survey of the country, express the opinion that Mr. Bon ar Law is almost certain to obtain a small working majority over all the other parties. Cautious Conservative organisers, and even the Labor headquarters, take the same view, while Sir R. A. Sanders (Minister of Agriculture) ventured to estimate that the Conservatives would win 335 seats. The forecast of the Con - servative headquarters is: Conservatives 328, Wee Frees 110, National Liberals 60, Labor 105, various 12. A feature of the contest has been the. willingness of Conservatives and Literals in the constituencies to unite in straight single fights against Labor, concentrating against a capital levy. It is generally agreed that this plank, together with the municipal setback, has reduced Labor’s prospects since the dissolution was first decided upon. It was then generally expected that Labor would win 200 seats, but the Labor headquarters now only expects 120 to 135. The Daily Express declares the Asquithites are gaining ground surprisingly. The Independent Liberal headquarters’ forecast is: Conservatives 290, Independent Liberals 140, National Liberals 75, Labor 110. — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

MENACE FROM WITHIN LABOR’S DANGEROUS IDEALS. LLOYD GEORGE’S WARNING. Received Nov. 12, 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 11. Mr. Lloyd George, speaking at Haverford West, said Britain was menaced from within by the same thing which reduced Prussia to famine and want. Unless arrested at the start, the whole fabric of our commerce, trade and *prosperity would come down, and mighty Britain, whose name rings round the earth, would become a poor, crawling thing, with her trade, commerce and financial supremacy all gone. “I beg Laborites to reconsider these ideas,” he added, “which do not come from trades unionists, but from the party's theorists and intellectuals. The sooner Labor gets rid of her so-called intellectuals the better it will be for Labor and trades unionism. These ideas cannot win. The workers’ common sense are against them throughout the land.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

APPEAL FOR LLOYT) GEORGE BUSINESS MEN’S MANIFESTO. Received Nov. 12, 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 11. Lords Aberconway, Airedale, Devonport, Illingworth, Leverhulme, Pirrie, St. Davids, and Sir Albert Spicer, Sir Edward Rhodes, and Sir Alfred Palmer have signed a business manifesto appealing for support for Mr. Lloyd George and h’s followers, on the giound that his policy is one of the chief causes of our gradual emergence from the post-war difficulties. The matofesto says that until a few days ago business interests had the advantage that the world’s foremost man, who counted most in the estimation of foreign peoples, was Primo Minister. The signatories believe that both the Conservative donothing and the Labor do-everything policies would be equally disastrous. Mr. Lloyd George is best fitted to hold the balance between capital and Labor, as he had a record for ameliorative statesmanship unexampled here or in any other country.