INDECISIVE POLL ON NEWFOUNDLAND FUTURE STATUS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22657, 7 June 1948, Page 5

INDECISIVE POLL ON NEWFOUNDLAND FUTURE STATUS

(N.Z.P. A.—Reuter —Copyright.)

ST. JOHNS (New.), June 4

Final returns for the night in the referendum to decide Newfoundland’s future form of Government indicated that the poll had resulted in a stalemate and that another election would be necessary to decide the issue.

Those favouring a return to independent status with a responsible Government, such as Newfoundland had before 1934, were in the iead, but advocates of confederation with Canada were close on their heels.

Supporters of the third proposition, namely, that the present commission form of government under a governor appointed by the British Crown be continued for at least five years, lagged far behind. It is probable, therefore, that a clear majority necessary for one party to carry the day will not be attained. None of the three alternatives will be binding unless it receives at least 51 per cent of the votes cast. The question of economic union with the United States was injected into the campaign by a new party organised by Mr. Chesley A Crosbie, a St. Johns business man, who urged independent status. He asserted that when that was realised he would head a movement to lead Newfoundland into such an economic union. Except for minor fist fights, there was no physical violence during the campaign, but its intensity reached proportions of “a civil war of words,” with every home and street corner the forum for vigorous arguments. Mass meetings were held all over the country, and the islanders were bombarded by handbills, newspaper advertisements, and radio broadcasts. . , , The final tally for the night, with 120,264 votes counted, was:

For responsible self-government 53,131 For confederation with Canada 49,185 For the continuance of commission government .. ... 17,948

It is probable that the electors will have to go to the polls a second time in an election in which the commission government proposal will be dropped from the ballot.