AUSTRALIAN STATES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 85, 9 April 1924, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN STATES

In South Australia and West Australia General Elections have resulted in Government defeats. In West Australia the chief issue was whether the Mitchell Nationalist Government retained the confidence of the electors in its immigration and -land settlement schemes. As the Government failed to secure a majority, the conclusion is that either the schemes or the Government's administration of them is disapproved. The cable messages have not advised us of Labour opposition to these schemes, but Labour in Australia is not enthusiastic concerning immigration. The Mitchell schemes were big ventures for the formation of communal settlements in the unsettled areas of West Australia. In Britain they were regarded as most promising. If they are rejected now it will be disappointing to the advocates of Empire settlement. But we have no means of knowing with certainty whether the Government defeat is really disapproval of policy or the accidental result of political dissension. In West Australia there were four parties in the field, and Labour was the only party presenting a solid front with clearcut distinction from the other par-' ties. In South Australia, (which had also been active in migration policy) there was similar division of the parties opposed to Labour. New Zealand political leaders may consider whether these results are an omen.