labour Hi Attempt To Form Government

Northern Advocate, 24 August 1948, Page 5

labour Hi Attempt To Form Government

Tasmanian Election

HOBART, Tue. (11 a.m.)— Though the Tasmanian election result is still obscure, Labour will attempt to form a Government.

Parliament is expected to meet on September 8 to consider price control legislation, necessary because of the abandonment of price controls by the Federal Government.

The Labour Prime Minister (Mr Cosgrove), who is in Canberra attending tiie Premiers’ conference, said that

the election had enabled Labour to remain in office and that Labour would win at least one of the two doubtful seats.

He added that there would be no deadlock and that, if necessary, he would offer the Speakership to a member outside the Labour Party.

Hobart reports say that Mr R. C. Townley (Independent) may be the nominee.

WARNING TO LIBERALS

Speaking in Melbourne, the Federal president of the Liberal Party (Mr Casey) said that the Tasmanian vote gave stringent correction to those who thought the next Federal election would be a “pushover” for nonLabour forces.

The Liberal Party should benefit from its lesson and make every effort to reach electors before the Federal election late next year. The noticeable mainland swing against Labour had not been reflected in Tasmania because the Tasmanian election had been fought mainly on domestic issues. ISSUE CLOUDED

Unfortunately, the large vote for many Independent candidates had clouded the main issue between Liberal and Labour.

The normal Australian system of preferential voting would have produced a more clear-cut result than the Tasmanian system of proportional representation.