FEDERAL ELECTION

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21226, 24 September 1940, Page 6

FEDERAL ELECTION

GOVERNMENT’S LEAD CONFIDENCE IN PREMIER MANY INFORMAL VOTES (United Press Asn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 24, 3.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 24 The latest figures of the Federal election indicate the state of the parties as follows: Government 39 Labour 30 Doubtful 5 The Labour Party may win all the five doubtful seats. At the present stage of the counting the Federal Prime Minister, Mr Menzies, has gained the largest individual vote in the whole of Australia. The counting of the Senate votes has improved the Government’s position in all States and a win for the Ministerial parties in every State except New South Wales is still expected. The percentage of informal votes is very high. There were nearly 250,000 informal votes in the Senate returns for all States, excluding Western Australia.

MR MENZIES CONFIDENT

GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT SEAT FOR LEADER LIKELY (United Press Asn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) SYDNEY, Sept. 24 “Had New South Wales been in line with the other States, there would have been a landslide in the Government’s favour,” said the Federal Prime Minister, Mr Menzies. “I expect the position in both Houses to be the same as before. “We had been told that it was impossible to win the Senate in the five States, but it looks as if we have. I am not surprised by the New South Wales vote, where local issues and influences have swung against us. My vote in my own electorate of Kooyong is the greatest encouragement I have ever had in politics.” Mr Menzies declined to comment on the prospects of forming a National Government or on the possible reconstruction of his Ministry. Political circles in Perth report that, should Mr Curtin be defeated in Fremantle, which is declared to be inevitable, Mr A. E. Green, who is in ill-health, would be prepared to resign the Kalgoorlie seat in his leader’s favour. Mr Green is the only member of the last Parliament who was not opposed in Saturday’s election.