NEXT PRIME MINISTER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 163, 12 July 1945, Page 5

NEXT PRIME MINISTER

Ballot This Afternoon To Choose

Labour Party Leader

PRESSURE ON MR. CHIFLEY Rec. 10 a.m. SYDNEY, this day. The ballot to elect a leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labour party is to be held at a special meeting of the party this afternoon. The interim Prime Minister, Mr. P. M. Forde, and the Federal Treasurer, Mr. J. B. Chifiey, are both contesting the election. There is still a possibility that the contest will be three-cornered. The Attorney' General, Dr. Evatt, homeward-'bound by sea from America, will automatically be a candidate unless he notifies caucus that he does not wish to stand.

"Mr. Chifley seems certain to be Prime Minister of Australia from to-day," says the Sydney Sun's Canberra correspondent. "His decision to stand for leadership of the Federal Labour party was made under heavy pressure from all sections of the party. Mr. Forde is generally not regarded as an election winner, while Mr. Chifley is so regarded, which at once gives him an immense advantage. "In addition to Mr. Chifley and Mr. Forde there may be two other candidates for the Prime Ministership. They are the Minister of the Navy, Mr. N. J. Makin, who has 21 years of experience in Parliament behind him, and the Minister of External Affairs, Dr. H. V. Evatt, who will automatically be a candidate unless he is able to inform the caucus that he is not standing. So far no contact has been made with Dr. Evatt (who is on his way home from San Francisco). If it is obvious that party feeling is against his election, Mr. Forde may decide to drop out."