FEDERAL POLITICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14610, 18 February 1908, Page 7

FEDERAL POLITICS.

THE SENATE. United Prcsa Association— Tiy Electric Telegraph—Copyright'. ADELAIDE, February 17. In the Senate by-election, Mr J. Vardon (Liberal) is well ahead of Mr J. V. O'Loghlin (Labour), and is practically sure to win the seat. (At tho last Federal elections for South Australia, Mr D. A. Crosby was declared elected as the third Senator, but on a recount Mr J. Vardon was declared elected. Mr 11. P. Blundell petitioned against the return of Mr Vardon, whose election was declared void by Mr Justice Barton, sitting as a Court of Disputed Returns. The vacancy was filled by the State Parliament, whose choice by a purely party vote, fell upon the Hon J. V. O'Loghlin Mr Vardon appealed to the High Court against the method of election, and the Court referred the matter to the Senate, a, committee of which Chamber reported that an election by the people was the correct way our, of the difficulty. A Bill was passed by the Federal Parliament giving tho High Court power to pronounce on tho points involved, and on December 20 the Court gave a judgment which had tho effect of unseating Mr O'Loghlin and of setting in motion arrangements for a popular election.)