BRUCE,S POSITION MORE SECURE

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2298, 17 November 1925, Page 7

BRUCE,S POSITION MORE SECURE

WITHI DISTANCE OF ABSOLUTE MAJORITY Probable loss of Five Seats to labour REAL DEMOCRACY ASSERTS ITSELF [By Electric Cable—Copyright.] [Aust, and N.Z. Gable Association.] SYDNEY, November 16. Eater returns, although they will probably be altered as further counts arrive, indicate the following position:— Nationalists 37 Country Party 13 Labour 24 Independent 1 Probably the Nationalists will gain live seats and the Labour Party lose five, and the Country Prty be unaltered. The Senate returns are too incomplete for definite forecast, but on the basis of the returns of the House of Representatives, the Nationalists are confident of securing a working majority. The poll was the heaviest in the history of Australia, most of the electorates polling over SO per cent. An analysis of the votes cast shows that there were 1,454,000 against Labour and 1,100,000 for Labour. COMMENTS OF LEADERS. PEOPLE IN FAVOUR OF LAW AND ORDER, SYDNEY, 16. The Premier, Mr Bruce, stated that the figures were confirming with increasing emphasis the verdict of the people in favour of law and order, the issue on which the election was fought “It is too early," he said, "accurately to forecast the Government gains, but it is quite obvious that the victory so confidently predicted by the Labour Party has not ■ materialised. The Government will not only increase Its majority in the House of Representatives, but will have a very comfortable majority in the Senate." Dr. Earle Page, leader of the Country Party, In commenting on the result sold: ‘‘The prospects are bright, and Australia has given the Government a mandate to proceed with legislation and administration on the lines of the policy- placed before the electors.” The Government, ha said could claim a sweeping victory. Mr Charlton. Leader of the Labour Party, would not express a definite opinion, stating that the present stage of the count was not sufficiently advanced to give an Idea of the ultimate result. However, he was confident -Labour would. have a majority In the Senate, which, as far as the Government was concerned, would result in a stalemate. THE TWO DEMOCRACIES. REAL AND SPURIOUS. SYDNEY, November 16 “The Sydney Morning Herald" comments: —“The swing of the pendulum has been against Labour. That is the great outstanding feature of the whole election. It proves that the real democracy of Australia when it is stirred, can assert itself against the spurious democracy with which the Labour Party has unfortunately allowed Itself to become entangled. “Australians are a singularly largehearted race, but they are not alto, gether so foolish as to carry their large-heartedness to the extent of allowing men like Garden and Grant representing the Red forces of Socialism. to run their counary, and that is where the leaders of the Labour Party went astray. The burden of their Communistic ‘Old men of the > sea has proved too much for them.” '•The Daily Telegraph” says:— The vote of the people of the Commonwealth amply justifies Mr Bruce's appeal to the country. Mr Charlton, who accepted the challenge, has been effectively silenced: his bluff has been called, and Mr Bruce given a clear mandate to go straight ahead with the task he has set himself.”' ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS SILENT. (Received Monday, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 15. The newspapers refrain from much comment on the Commonwealth elec tions. pending the final result. Such that do, congratulate Mr. Bruce on is fine fight and his victory over disruptive forces and the Australians on their sane decision. INTEREST IN AMERICA. NEW YORK, November 15. Considerable interest Is shown here In the first news from Australia indicating the. return of the Bruce Page Government. “The New York Times, which has been reporting weekly the progress of the campaign, has printed extracts from the speeches of van. ous candidates and commented par. tlcularly upon the statement distributed by Mr. Bruce, namely, that there was one paramount issue before Australian people, the issue between orderly government and chaos. “The Times,” moreover, pointed to the fact that Labour prospects, which appeared more favourable five months ago, had been .considerably injured by the unauthorised shipping strike, putting Labour orators upon the defensive. Various newspapers ihav'e carried editorial comment upon compulsory voting and asked whether the United States should not adopt a similar pro. ceduro, as it had copied the Austra. Ran secret ballot system with good results In the shape of electoral hon-