THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 107, 8 May 1917, Page 4

THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS

■ The news from Aaistralia concerning the Federal ejections ism every v. ay satiafactory; As we pointed put in these columns a day or two ago, a Commonwealth Government dominated by the. Political Labor Caucus, the Australian prototype; of our own ''Red Fed." organisation, might all too probably, be; :p|*oductiv;ef : of serious economic and industrial trouble, not only in Australia,r but in New Zealand. Fortunately for Australia,, and indirectly for the Dominion, all fear of such a deplorable contingency has disappeared. For tho completed returns .we may have to wait a fortnight or so, but apparently there is no possibility of the excellent majority now standing tp the -credit of the Nationalists, or;;"Fusi6riists," being very appreciably whittled down^_ Of course, we are referring to the House of Representatives. ' The position as regards the Senate is-uncertain. To secure a majority in the Senate the Nationalists ;haye to win quite a number of seats previously held by the Labor extremists, and it is still very doubtful whether- this can be accomplished. It is sincerely to be hoped that the required majority may be obtained, otherwise the hands of the Governmenti -might be very awkwardly tied, Meanwhile every loyalist and of law and order should* rejoicp over the dis-; ( comfituro of Mr' Tudor and .his party. Tlieir victory would havo been little short of -a"'national- disaster for Australia, and would-probably ;ha^e had the effect of paralysing, trade and industry,V for; the f great financial houses of Great Britain, would certainly have lppk^"-^^^-^^"' suspicion and distrust upon airiy loanproposals; put forward ■;.'by ..\men who, if not actually-allied to the I.W.W. .pther - avowedly elemeiitsV at least; w%e.J glad to,'secure their nuppoft.:/: ■ The^ rfesulti of -,' the "redent municipal 6|ecti6ris in this countryand the- substantial success of the Australian'!. .'Loyftiisfbs^/last , Saturday afford groundjtfor that : the Labor extremist <■ of- Australasia will not for sonic time to come bo able to. carry their pernicious'doctrines'into; effect. .;y.:....;:^^;'^-:^ v^ ■'■ ;;-'