LABOUR IN AUSTRALIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 86, 12 April 1927, Page 6

LABOUR IN AUSTRALIA.

A few days ago the election returns in South Australia suggested that possibly the Commonwealth was beginning to suffer a reaction against the dominance of Labour. But the value of such predictions has been largely discounted by the more recent elections in Victoria and West Australia. In Victoria Labour has gained two seats, while its opponents have lost at least five; and though the margin between the two parties is not large and the attitude of the so-called Independents is doubtful, it seems likely that Labour will have at least a working majority in the new House. In West Australia the Labour Government, in spite of a good deal of dissatisfaction and criticism, has succeeded in retaining power with 26 seats out of 50; and this also means a virtual working majority. Thus, the loss sustained by Labour in South Australia is practically made good by Labour's victory in Victoria; the position in West Australia is unchanged; and on the whole the Australian political situation in this respect is now virtually what it was before the , elections began.