FEDERAL ELECTION

Evening Star, Issue 20996, 9 January 1932, Page 13

FEDERAL ELECTION

♦ THE SENATE COUNTS Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, January 8. The checking of the preferences for the New South Wales candidates in the Senate election was concluded tonight, and the two remaining seats went to Mr Charles Hardy, the Country Party nominee, and Mr Massey Greene, United Australia Party nominee, who was formerly a member of the Senate. Mr Hardy’s majority over his nearest opponent, Mr Anderson, a Lang Plan candidate, was 273,903, and Mr Greene’s majority was 155,979. The Senate counts in the other States, excepting Tasmania, are proceeding. THE COUNTRY PARTY. MAY BECOME OFFICIAL OPPOSITION. CANBERRA, January 8. (Received January 9, at 9 a.m.) Advices report that the Country Party continues to maintain its attitude of aloofness, and may claim recognition as the official Opposition and occupy the Opposition benches. It will challenge the Government on tariff matters, and is patiently awaiting a statement of policy. The Country Party has sixteen, compared with fourteen Federal Labour members, therefore claims to be the largest party outside the Government. In the event of the Beasley group linking with the Scullin party, which is regarded as unlikely, then Labour would automatically become the official Opposition by virtue of numbers.