TASMANIAN ELECTIONS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 20, 24 January 1913, Page 7

TASMANIAN ELECTIONS

.... ,mn>, „,„, LIBERALS IN THE LEAD. RETURNS INCOMPLETE. By Telegtiipb.— Pre« ABeecintion.— CJopyrtglit. (Received January 24, 10.20 a.m.) HOBART, This Day. The returns for the Tasmahiatt elec tlons ai'o incomplete. There are twenty-six Liberal candidates, twenty-three Labour, ahd one In* dependent. (Received January 24, 12.S p.m.) HOBARY, This Day. The returns, which are still incomplete, show the following state of par* tie* t — Liberals m, »., »• 16 Labour ».< •.., ».. 14 What the electors of Tasmania are asked to decide at the General Elections to the Lower House on Thursday next, is whether the Liberals t>hall be sent back with a working majority, or whether Labour shall be given a chanea for office for the first time in the history of the State. In the last Parliament (wrote The Post's Sydney correspondent last week), the Liberal Government Cftr« ried on with a very precarious balance. Thare wero fifteen Liberals including the Speaker, fourteen Labourites, and one Independent, Mr. Cameron. The j Government was able to keep going for j a time with the support of Mr. Cameron, but that gentleman began to demand of 1 the Government terms which could not possibly be conceded. Then Mr. Cam- | erort promised to support a, motion of want of confidence by the Leader of the Opposition. However, at the last moment Mr. Cameron demanded a« the prico of his support conditions which the Opposition rejected publicly with great Bcorn. To end an impossible situation a dissolution was announced, For the thirty seats in the Assembly fifty candidates have been nominated, 26 Liberals, 23 Labourites, and Mr. Cameron, who is quit* "on his own." Except in Wilmol, Mj. Cameron's constituency, the issue has been mado a straight out ohe between the Liberal and Labour parties, and both sides have been doing their utmost to make the fight decisive. Aa you have already- been Informed sectarianism has been introduced into the fight over the appointment of Sir Ellison Macartney, at one time a prominent Orangeman, as Governor of the State. It seems that the Roman Catholic vote will go largely on the Labour woe. Th& Temperance Alliance has also taken part for the purpose of strengthening its demand for local option, but the temperance vote does not seem likely to affect the parties, which are pretty eaually divided on the temperance question.