FEDERAL ELECTIONS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21206, 31 August 1940, Page 9

FEDERAL ELECTIONS

SPLIT IN LABOUR VOTE STALEMATE POSSIBLE RESIGNATION OF JUDGE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) SYDNEY, August 30 To enable him to stand for a seat at the Federal general election, supporting Mr J. Curtin and the official Labour Party, Mr Justice Evatt, of the High Court of Australia, has tendered his resignation from the Bench. Mr Justice Evatt will contest the Barton electorate, at present held by the United Australia Party. It is regarded as a doubtful seat. Speculation is rife concerning the outcome of the Senate elections, which will be held at the same time as those for the House of Representatives. Nineteen senators are to retire, comprising 17 Government supporters and two Labour. Of the remaining 17 senators 14 are Labour and three Government supporters. This means that Labour has to win only a few seats to gain control of the Senate. With a split in the Labour vote, there is every possibility that the present Government will be returned in the House of Representatives, and if Labour wins the Senate the position will be stalemate, and a double dissolution is not inconceivable. Elevated to the Bench in 1930 at the age of 36, Mr Justice Evatt was one of the youngest judges ever appointed in Australia. After a particularly brilliant scholastic career, he entered legal practice, and was subsequently made a K.C. He won the Balmain seat in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in the Labour interest in 1925, but retired from politics in 1927.