FEDERAL ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 45, 17 November 1925, Page 9

FEDERAL ELECTIONS

HEAVY VOTE AGAINST LABOUR NATIONALISTS EXPECTED TO GAIN FIVE , SEATS IN HOUSE A , ’ , WITH WORKING MAJORITY IN SENATE The latest Federal election returns indicate that the / Nationalists are likely to gain five seats in the House of Representatives at the expense of the Labour Party. On ■- the basis of the polling for the House the Government party is confident of securing a working majority in ttje Senate also. An analysis of the votes cast gives a very great majority against Labour. Bt Tblegbafh—Peess association Copybight.

Sydney. November 16; Later returns, although they will probably be altered as further counts arrive, indicate the following position , Nationalists 31 Country Party 13 Labour 24 Independent 1 Probably the Nationalists will gain five seats and the Labour Party lose five, and the Country Party be unaltered. The Senate returns are too incomplate for definite forecast, but on the basis of the returns of the House of Representatives the Nationalists are confident of securing a working majority. The poll was the heaviest in the history of Australia, most of the electorates' polling over 80 per cent. An analysis of the votes cast shows that there were 1,451,000 against Labour and 1,100,000 for Labour—Press Assn.

COMMENTS OF PARTY LEADERS

VERDICT IN FAVOUR OF LAW AND ORDER

LABOUR ANTICIPATING A STALEMATE.

Sydney, November 16. The Prime Minister, Mr. Bruce, stated that the figures were confirming with increasing emphasis the verdict of the people in favour of law and order, 'the issue on which the election was fought. “It is too early,’’ he said, “accurately to forecast/pthe. Government gains, but it is quite/ obvious that the, victory so confidently predicted by the Labour Party has not materialised. The Government will not only increase its majority in the House of Representatives, but will have a very comfortable majority in the Senate.” f

Dr. Earle . Page, leader of the Countrv Party, commenting on the result, 'said: “The prospects are bright, and Australia has given the Government a mandate to proceed with legislation and administration on the lines of the policy placed before the electors.” The Government, he said, could claim a sweeping victory. Air. Charlton, Leader of the Labour Party, would not express a definite, opinion, stating that the present stage of the count was not sufficientlv advanced to give an idea of the ultimate result. However, he was confident Labour would have a majority in the Senate, which, as far as the Government was concerned, would result in a stalemate.—Press Assn.

AUSTRALIANS’ SANE DECISION CONGRATULATIONS OF ENGLISH PAPERS (Rec November 16, 11,5 p.m.) London, November 15. The newspapers refrain from much comment on the Commonwealth elec-

tions, pending the final, result. Sucn that do congratulate Mr. Bruce on his fine fight and victory over the disruptive forces, and the Australians o their sane decision. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. / PRESS OPINIONS \ THE REAL DEMOCRACY ASSERTS ITSELF CLEAR MANDATE TO MR. BRUCE Sydney, November 16. The “Svdney Morning Herald” comments“'The swing of the pendulum has been against Labour. lhat is tlie great outstanding feature of the whole election. It proves that the real democracy of Australia, when it is stirred, can assert itself against the spurious democracy with which the Labour Partv has unfortunately allowed itself to'become entangled. “Australians are a singularly largehearted race, but thev are not altogether so foolish as to carry their large-heartedness to the extent of al* lowing men like Garden and Grant, representing the Red forces of Socialism, to ruin their country, and that is where the leaders of the Labour Party went astray. The burden of their Communistic' ‘Old men of the sea’ has proved too much for them. The “Daily Telegraph” says:—“The vote of the people of the Commonwealth amplv justifies Mr. Bruce’s appeal to the country. Mr. Charlton, who accepted the challenge, has been effectivelv silenced: his bluff' has been called, and Mr. Bruce given a clear mandate to go straight ahead with the task he has set himself.”—Press Assn.

LABOUR PROSPECTS INJURED 1 BY SHIPPING STRIKE AMERICAN INTEREST IN ' ELECTION New York,- November 15. Considerable interest is shown here in the first news from Australia indicating the return of the Bruce-Page Government. The “New York Times,” which has been reporting weekly the progress of the campaign, has printed extracts from the speeches of various candidates and commented particularly upon the statement distributed by Mr. Bruce, namely, that there was one paramount issue before the Australian people, the issue between orderly government and chaos. The “Times,” moreover, pointed to the fact that Labour prospects, which appeared more favourable five months ago, had been considerably injured by the unauthorised shipping strike, putting Labour orators upon the defensive. Various newspapers have carried editorial comment, upon compulsory voting and asked whether the United States should not adopt a similar procedure, as it had copied the Australian secret ballot system with good results in the shape of electoral hon-esty.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.