ESTABLISHED 1886. The Marlborugh Express PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1901. THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS IN AUSTRALIA.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXV, Issue 77, 3 April 1901, Page 2

ESTABLISHED 1886. The Marlborugh Express PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1901. THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS IN AUSTRALIA.

It would be premature and ill-advised for us to attempt any comprehensive comment upon the results, so far as they have been announced, of the Federal elections in Australia. Several results have yet to be made known, and the general composition of both upper and lower chambers of the Commonwealth Parliament may yet be very. different from what to-day appears probable. But this much has been proved, and proved beyond all reasonable doubt, that the Barton Government will not now be able to carry any strongly protective tariff, and its very life, as a Government, will be very largely at the mercy of the strong Opposition, whose leader will be that most shrewd, shall we say most ruse, of Australian politicians, Mr G. H. Reid. Some weeks ago we ventured the prediction that Mr Reid was a factor whose potentialities in the general question of Federal Government and policy were being at that time much underrated by the majority of our contemporaries, and the results of the elections have proved the correctness of a forecast which this journal was almost alone, in the New Zealand Press, to put forward. Mr Barton has a majority in the Lower House, but in the Senate he is outnumbered, and even in the lower chamber he will be very largely at the mercy of the Labor Party, of whose tender mercies as makers or destroyers of an administration he has had, like Mr Reid, no very pleasant experience during his connection with the State politics of New South Wales. As a political leader Mr Barton is far from being Mr Reid's equal, and although for a time he and his Ministry may nominally control the Federal Government and the Federal policy, it will not be many months, we venture to prophesy, before Mr Reid causes very serious trouble. If Mr Reid can only remain faithful for a year or so to a definite Freetrade policy; if he can cast away his tendency to execute rapidly succeeding round-about turns on questions of high policy, such turns as have gained for him the unenviable nickname of "Yes-No Reid," he will certainly oust Mr Barton and Mr Barton's Government. It remains to be seen whether Mr Reid can cast off-iris old Adam of untrustworthiness, If he can succeed in, to use a vulgar but useful expression, "going straight" for a year or so, he is sure to gain ground in the Commonwealth Parliament, for, as a political tactician, Mr Barton is, as compared with his rival, a mere child. So far as New Zealand is concerned, the opponents of Federation have every reason to be pleased with the very healthy check which Mr Reid and the strong party behind will be able to place upon the ultra-protectionist tendencies of so many of Mr Barton's supporters, especially the Victorians. We do not now fear very seriously that the Barton Government will attempt to place any hostile and heavy duties upon New Zealand produce. Meanwhile, we may point out to our readers that the only New Zealand paper of any importance which advocates Federation, the Evening Post of Wellington, admits that the Commonwealth Parliament will have to face the " necessity of raising eight and a-half millions of revenue." We consider, and we believe that the majority of pur readers will share our opinion, that it fs just as well that New Zealand will not be called upon to contribute a big share of this huge amount, as she would .otherwise have to do were she a junior partner — a very

junior partner —in the Australian Federation. The Post, we observe, appears to be highly delighted at the success achieved by the Queensland Labour Party. It is vastly amusing to notice the satisfaction with which the Post can contemplate the success of a party—lsoo miles away—whose aspirations in the colony it is never tired of opposing. Our Wellington contemporary appears to assume that the Queensland Labour members will give a solid support to Mr Barton. We doubt this very much. Mr.Rcid once secured the support of the Labour Party in New South Wales and lie may yet secure similar support in the Commouwealth Parliament. Mr Barton's reign as Federal Premier will be very short. Personally we are not interested in the success of Mr Barton or of Mr Reid, except so far as the interests of this Colony are concerned; and for the time being we incline to the opinion that Mr Reid's check upon the Barton triumph- will prove most salutary and decidedly, although we admit only indirectly, advantageous to New Zea-

landers.