ELECTION POSSIBILITIES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 126, 24 November 1923, Page 13

ELECTION POSSIBILITIES

Labour leaders are now organising their forces in anticipation of an early State election. The belief in political Labour circles is that there will be an appeal to the electors about June next. All the signs seem to indicate'that the Coalition Government will not last its fuh term, despite the strong denial of any rift in the Cabijy*, lute and in the parties behind the Ministry. The fact that on more than one occasion the Progressives have crossed the floor against the- Government must be 6omewhit chilling to Sir George Fuller's, team. So confident is Labour of an early election that it has marshalled the Federal and State Parliamentary Labour Parties and the A.L.P. Executive to discuss the organising . arrangements. The suggestion that Cabinet meetings nowadays are very much like cat and dog fights is unequivocally denied by the Minister of Justice . (Mr. Ley), one of the three Progressives in the' Ministry. If, as is commonly reported to be likely, Sir George Fuller later retires from the arena, although he has made it quite plain that he does not want the Agent-Generalship there will be a pTetty little tussle for Premiership honours between the Chief Secretary (Mr. Oakes) and Mr. Ley each of whom has a solid' backing Mr Ley is probably the ablest man in the Ministry, he is in an absolutely impregnable position in his electorate, and he has youth, personality, and a big physique on his side: The mere fact that he recently changed hi s . place of residence from one suburb to another in his electorate was made the occasion for

farewells and welcomes of a most elab« orate character.' The NatioriaUsts-Pro-gressives could do far woreejin the event of an election, than carry their-banner into the wilderness" behind the "strong personality of Mr. .Ley. \'' ' '