Bitter Disappointment For Tasmanian Liberals

Northern Advocate, 23 August 1948, Page 5

Bitter Disappointment For Tasmanian Liberals

The Northern Advocate, Monday August 23, 1948.

HOBART, Mon. (11.30 a.m.). —With most of the votes counted in the election for the Tasmanian House, two seats are still in doubt.

The Liberals are likely to win a seat from Labour in Bass, but may lose one to an Independent in Denison. It appears certain that Labour will come out of the election with 15 or 16 seats, the Liberals 12 or 13, and Independents two

of. three. As the total membership of the | House is 30, the result will not be i much different from that prevailing before the poll was taken, when the j state of the parties, was: Labour 16, Liberals 12, Independent 2. In the event of the numbers being j equal, another election may be held, | but this could be avoided if a Liberal or Independent member were to accept the Speakership. COSGROVE CONFIDENT The Labour Party in Tasmania is confident that it can form a Govern- | ment. The Premier (Mr Cosgrove) regards ■ the election result as a clear-cut vin- I dication of the actions of himself and | his Government during the past 18 | months.

He said that it clearly indicated that the people desired adult franchise for the Legislative Council and that the Government must carry out fully the policy' submitted to the people. The latest figures in the election give « comparison with the voting in 1946, the earlier figure being mentioned first: Labour: 65,843 (66,021). Liberal: 44,243 (50,610). Independent: 19,104 (47,058 h The Liberals, who hoped decisively to break Labour’s 14-year-old rule in Tasmania, are bitterly disappointed. PERSONAL PRESTIGE The reasons for the failure of the Liberal campaign are stated to be the personal prestige of Mr Cosgrove and Labour allegations that a Liberal Government would introduce an antistrike measure.

“One thing is clear,” commented the Liberal Premier of Victoria (Mr Hollway). “The Tasmanians have a curious voting system, which they should replace with something different.”