PARTY SHOTS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 110, 11 May 1943, Page 3

PARTY SHOTS

FEDERAL ELECTION Contest May Be Precipitated In July N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 9.30 a.m. SYDNEY, May 10. Ranging shots in Australia's coming Federal election battle are being fired. Both Government and Opposition leaders have begun active campaigning. Although normally due in November, surprise elections are possible in July. Labour, at present holding office by virtue of two Independent votes, expects to increase its strength at the ballot Much, however, will depend upon developments in the intervening period. The Government's greatest electoral asset at the moment is, perhaps, best assessed. as "the public's belief in the sincerity and strength of Mr. Curtin's war purpose as Prime Minister."

Of many whips now being employed by the Opposition to flail Labour in office, those most effective appear to be allegations of a vacillating attitude toward industrial disputes, and of efforts to introduce Socialism under the guise of war necessity. , Recent divisions among members of the Opposition party have not assisted the election chances of the joint out-of-office group, and many quarters feel that success in the coming elections will require more dynamic leadership than may be afforded by Mr. Fadden. Nevertheless, the position is a delicately-balanced one, with no present clear-cut indication of the direction in which the voting may swing.

Voting Three Years Ago In the 1940 Federal elections, Labour polled 1,911,000 votes, against 1977,000 for the joint Opposition. Mr. Curtin won the Fremantle seat by only 641 votes, but his high personal prestige is expected to give him a substantial majority at the While Mr. Curtin personally desires that Parliament shall see out its full term of office, obstructionist tactics by the Senate Opposition majority may precipitate a crisis m the June Parliamentary session, thus bringing about elections in July. Many Australians believe strongly that the scheduled Federal elections are a mistake and that a National Government should be formed. "Elections, with their weakening cleavage, are only made necessary by refusal to form a National. Government," writes Sir Keith Murdoch, Melbourne newspaper executive. He adds: "The hot breath of Japan scorches our very cheeks. The red embrace is held off by the sacrifice of our dearest and finest sons. But we are compelled to deal with the internal trouble of an election and accept its bitterness and disorder. Trade Unions and Socialism Two reasons are advanced by Sir Keith for failure to form a national Government. These, he says, are: "First, the Labour party is under the sway of professional trade union leaders who insist that an internal class fight must be pursued at any cost; second, the Labour caucus is revelling in joys of office, pay and power." There appears to be no likelihood, however, that the elections will be abandoned in favour of a National Government. One substantial straw in the wind is tentative "vote catching" legislation in the shape of a bill now being drafted for the June session to introduce national unemployment and sickness benefits. Also, Mr. Curtin, .responding to genuine public unrest about the changes of Socialism by stealth, has declared: "We have not socialised Australia and we do not intend to do it just because we are at war." Political correspondents comment that this statement offers no positive insurance against socialisation. PRISONERS EXCHANGED Reed. 1.30 p.m. LONDON, May 10. Another exchange of British and Italian prisoners has been completed at Smyrna. Four hundred sick and wounded Italian soldiers and 1200 protected personnel have been exchanged for 100 sick and wounded British soldiers and 300 protected personnel.