QUEENSLAND ELECTIONS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16163, 18 March 1918, Page 6

QUEENSLAND ELECTIONS.

VICTORY FOR LABOUR. SOLDIER CANDIDATES TI"RNED DOWN. (lJy- Cab.'e.—l'ress Association.—Copyright.) (Received March I7tli, 0.0 p.m.') BRISBANE, March 10. In no ease are the election returns complete, but progress figures clearly indicate that the Ryan Government (Labour) was returned with an increased majority. In several instances seats changed liands. In the last Parliament the strength of the parties was:— Government ... ... -1"» Opposition ... ... '27 On the present figures the state of the parties now appear to be: — Government ... ... -IS Opposition ... ... £4 All the Ministers apparently are safe. Mr Tolmie, Leader of the Opposition, who was too ill to participate in the campaign, was defeated for Toowoomba. A later message states that a feature of the election was the fact that soldier candidates, all of whom wero on the Nationalist or Opposition side, were almost everywhere turned down. The Premier and tho acting-Leader of the Opposition are busy to-day. They aro exercising tho franchise on behalf of overseas soldiers, though a soldier has the right to nominate any elector to act as his proxy, it is understood that comparatively few outsido tho party leaders were so nominated. It' will be 60hie days before the returns are complete, as there are many absentee votes to be counted. The I floods in some districts are also causing | delay. I

NOTES ON THE CAMPAIGN. (from our own correspondent.) SYDNEY, March G. One of the fiercest election campaigns in the history of the Stato is being fought in Queensland. It is tho general opinion outside of Queensland, away from the fiery heat and bitter prejudices of the election, that tho Labour Government will go back tb power. Jf it does, tho fact will bo due, more than anything else, to the platform weakness of the .Nationalists.

The party which supports the Social-istic-eum-Commitnifetic Government is led bv the Premier, Mr Thomas Joseph Hyatt, a big, vigorous, capable young man of 41, a clever political general, and a most forcible and effective platform speaker. 'Some of his Ministers, who nro energetically campaigning, are capable of stvdying an audience. Thb leader of the Nationalists, iii the absence of Mr Tolmie, who is ill, is Mr h. H. Macartney, a rather insignificant little solicitor of 55. His main claim to public, support is his probity, his clean public record, and his fearless adherence to principles. In 1911 ho was Minister for Lands in a Liberal Administration, and he designed his port- i folio because ho considered ah act of tho then Premier, Mr Dehham, irroilg in principle. His careful, measured periods, his cold and.; dispassionate phrases, his unimpressive personality win his party no new friends from the platform, and alnohg tho members of his party there is hot oho who, as ah orator, can be measured with Mr Ryan. There is no doubt that the Ryah Government has scared Queensland, and, if the ease were properly presented, there is ho doubt that it would drop the Ryan Government overboard for fear of what it may do if given a now lease of life. "Ryanism means Ruination" is a. slogan which expresses a widely held opinion of tlio thirigs Socialistic achieved by the extremists, and even ho'tv J\lr Ryan is trfring to buy his way back to office With oromises of even more startling departures from tho traditional paths of government. But, while tne energetic Labourites are putting "ginger" ihto their meetings, and stirring class prejudices to frenzied advocacy of their cause, the pallid Nationalist's aro making ho appeal to tlio imagination of'thc masses. If they score a victory in spite of their dull* prosy, long-winded campaigning, it will bfe a v6ry greit victory indeed.

Mr Ryan is an IHsh-Atistl-alian born and educated in Victoria, and ho totik liis degree of B.A. at Melbourne University. Then lie went as a school teacher to various Victorian and Tasmaniart towns, but the life did nbfc appeal to him. He studied law, qualified as a barrister, went as a teacher to Rockhamptoh, and was admitted to the Queensland Bar. He entered the State Parliament in 1909. Between liitri and Mr Macartney there is implacable enmity. Abbiit fiftefen rtiohths ago, Mr Ryan introduced and through the Assembly a Bill miking it unlawful for the legal adviser? of any trust or combine to sit in Parliament This was aimed at Mr Macartney and his partner, Mr Thyniie, M.L.C., "but it was thrown out by the Council. Mr Macartney's political life Was saved, but he did not learn to love Mr Ryan any more.