BRITISH ELECTIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1929, Page 5

BRITISH ELECTIONS

WHO WILL WIN? (tailed Press Association.— By Eluclrn Telegra pti .—Copy righ t. ) LONDON, May 24. Within a week from to-day Gloat Britain’s vast electorate, with its preponderance of woman, will have spoken through the ballot box, and registered its verdict. Will the verdict he decisive? If so, how? Or will the great jury of twenty-eight millions disagree? No one knows. It is only known that the Conservatives are not unprepared to lose seats. Mr Baldwin himself implied that he would he satisfied with a majority of fifty. Sir Joynson Hicks last night prophesised that the majority would be between fifty and sixty. The Liberals do not claim more •than that they wifi be able to influence. the next. Parliament sufficiently to secure the adoption at any rate of the essence of their policies. The Labourites talk about victory, but they are not so confident about power; meaning thereby a majority over their opponents. AH the prophets agree on one roint. namely, that the fiat ires of 1f124 are valueless as an indication of what may happen on Thursday. Many think the figures of 1923 arc likely to lie nearer. Mr Baldwin has confessed his own belief that millions of Liberals voted i Conservative in 1924, and lie does not expect the whole of their support on Thursday. The voters in Great Britain comprise ■ 13,280,982 men; and 14,791,813 women, who thus have a majority of 1,510,813; wherens in 1924 there was a majority of nearly three million men over the women. Mr Baldwin will snend the dnv before the poll touring Lancashire, broadcasting a final appeal to the nation from Manchester in the evening. Two hundred results are exnectod to be declared on Thursday night. In the meantime there are only two questions being asked throughout the country: “Who will win the election ?” and “What will win the 1 Derby?”

PRESS COMMENT

LONDON, May 23

The “Morning Post,” under the headings “Socialism in Practice—Lesson from Queensland-Fourteen Years of Spending—Revulsion of Feelin* at Elections.”, publishes in its election matter three-quarters of a column of a report of a speech Mr Moore delivered at Oakev on April 4th, setting out the costs of Labour’s administration.

tr SUPPORT FOR LABOUR

LONDON, May 23

Miss Betty Balfour, the Film. Actress,, had a great reception when she presided at meetings in Cirencester and Tewkesbury in support of Mr Fredman, the Labourite candidate. Miss Balfour declared: “One hundred thousand workers in the film industry would nut their shirts on Mr Fredman.” He was, she said, responsible for the “come-back” in the British film industry.

A BIT OF GRIM HUMOUR.

LONDON, May 23.

Mr Ramsay MacDonald, speaking at Bristol, in the Potteries District, said: “I’ve seen some of the ‘land fit for heroes to live in.’ If I wanted to visit the heroes of Scotland in the houses which Mr Lloyd George has promised to provide j I’d have to visit the gaols!”

MORE DUTIES IF ELECTED.

LONDON, May 24

The “Daily Express” understands that a Board of Trade Committee has decided in favour of an application for a' safeguarding custom duty on light woollen textiles and if the Conservatives are returned at the election, there will be a thirty-three per cent duty imposed on certain imported textiles, chiefly women’s dress goods.

LADY ASTOR’S FIGHT

LONDON, May 23

Lady Astor, the first woman to bo elected a member of the British House of Commons, is having a ding-dong fight at Plymouth. Lord Astor, her husband, arrived at one of her meeting to find her surrounded by a crowd of workers. She was angry and she had tears in her eyes. Lady Astor’s tongue is sharp. When some women asked why she (Lady Astor) had not voted to retain the milk supplies for the children, she turned to another section of the audience and said: “How would yon like to be governed by these things?’’ At another meeting she rushed a Union organiser and tried to knock off his hat.