POLLING DAY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 234, 15 September 1934, Page 5

POLLING DAY

— Australian Elections

MR. LYONS CONFIDENT

SY DNEY, Sept. 11

Tho stage is all set for the Federal election to-morrow. The Prime Minister, tho Rt. Hon. J. A. Lyons, his Ministers and 'the majority of influential newspapers predict a substantial victory for the non-Labour forces. Whether tho Government will obtain a clear majority over all other parties, us at the last election, is a matter of conjecture. The fact remains that the Government expects to retain more than 95 per cent, of the scats, and also capture a couple from 'the Country party in electorates where there is a strained feeling as regards tariffs. The outstanding issue of the election is the socialisation of credit advocated by the combined Federal-State Labour forces. Whatever slight difference of opinion exists between the United Australia Party and the United Country Party relates to tariffs.

Labour expects to win back a few seats lost at the last election—two in New' South Wales, two in Victoria and one in Western Australia. On the other hand they may lose a couple in New South Wales and one in Queensland, due to the re-distribution of boundaries.

Exactly what part will be played by Douglas Credit candidates at to-mor-row’s poll remains to be seen, but the consensus of opinion is that they will prejudice Labour’s chances where the margin is likely to be narrow'.

The party position of the last Parliament was as follows: —

United Australia Party United Country Party Federal Labour Party Beasley or Lang Labour Group Independents

The new House of Representatives, owing to the elimination of the Angas seat in South Australia, will comprise only 71 members In order to obtain a majority over the other parties, the combined Labour factions require double their present strength of 19.