SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 78, 4 April 1910, Page 7

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

HEAVY POLLING. LABOUR IX THE LEAD. By Telegraph. — Press Association.— Copyright. ADELAIDE, 3rd April. There was heavy polling at the elections, not counting the Northern Territory (two Keats) where the voting 1b not yet complete. Retnrns are to band for 40 out of the 42 seats in the Legislative Assembly (elected on admit suffrage), the two Northern Territory results being yet to come. The 40 teats are divided between the Peake-Butler Government and the Labour Opposition as follows: — Labour ..; ... .'.. 21 Ministerialists 19 Of the two Northern Territory eeatn, Labour previously held one, and the Labour candidates are now, leading for I both. The completed return* so far to hand give Labour a gain of U\o seals in the Assembly and one in the Legislative Council (which is elected on a property qualification). The Premier, Mr. Peake, and all the Ministers \. ho offered themselves, got back safely. IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA. LABOUR PARTY SWEEPS THE POLLS. LOCAL OPTION POLL. (Received April 4, 10 a.m.) ADELAIDE, Thi B Day. Tho Labour party agaiu swept the polls in tho Metropolitan area. Later counts may slightly alter the position of parties, but at best the Liberals can only secure a tic, and the chances are in favour of a Labour majority. Mr. Peako cot in between two Labour- . ites. The counting of the local option vote has been postponed till to-day. The result is being anxiously awaited. In December last, owing to the resignation of Messrs.- Coombe, Mitchell, and Addison, the Ministry was rearranged as follows: — Mr. A. Peake, Premier, and Minister for Lands and Education. Mr. Butler, Treasurer, und Minister for tho Northern Territory. Mr. O'Loughlin, Minister for Works nnd Water Supply. Mr. Brice, Chief Secretary and Minister for Industry. Mr. Homburg, AttorneyGeneral. Mr. Pascoe, Minister for Agriculture. The reconstruction wag carried out in accordance with a compact between Mr. Butler and Mr. Peake. The agreement between tho two parties* provided that they should be equal in all things, with no casting \ote to either. The combination is known as the Peake-Butler Administration, and the only difference between the two sides is that Mr. Peake, by virtue of his position an Premier, has the right to make or unmake the Ministry. When the original negotiations took place some months ago, after it had been tacitly agreed that there should be three reprebentatives of each party, Mr. Peake's following thought that he, at Premier, should have v cabling vote, but some of the 'Butler Party (beingtho stronger numerically) sought to secure tho balance of power. Finally, as a concession to the strength of Mr. Pcako in the Houto when Mr. Butler consulted a full meeting of his party, the condition that there ehould be no (anting vote for eithi'i was lOuMdeied to bo fair. In the last Aitembly Labour held 20 teutt and tUo P«akt-Uutkr Oov»rain«at. 22.. . " ""