CONSERVATIVE GAINS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19163, 31 October 1925, Page 13

CONSERVATIVE GAINS.

CANADIAN ELECTION.

LIBERALS' HEAVY LOSSES. DEFEAT OF THE PREMIER. NINE MINISTERS ALSO. FARMERS' PARTY REDUCED. THREAT OF A DEADLOCK. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 8.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z.—Reuter. MONTREAL. Oct. 30. The defeat of the Liberals in the Canadian general election, which was held yesterday, seems to be assured. Tim Conservative Party, led by Mr. Arthur Meighen, will be the largest group in the new House of Commons, but tho returns available early this morning do not give any party a clear majority. The state of parties, according to latest returns,- compares as follows with the 1921 election returns, which had not been materially altered in the interval:— 1921 1925 Conservatives . 51 118 Liberals .. ..117 G7 Progressives (Farmers) 65 20 Independent and Labour 2 4 Doubtful ... .. Totals r, v . 235 245 If five of the doubtful seats went to Conservatives, Mr. Meighen would have a majority of two when the Speaker is chosen., But even with tho smallest majority the Conservative leader is likely to form a Government, as several Progressives can undoubtedly be persuaded to fall in line with the Conservatives. Tim latter's success was. due to the general unrest, business depression and anxiety over the exodus of Canadians to the United States. It may be taken also as showing the country's desire to try a protective tariff. It is uncertain whether the Frime Minister will resign or whether he will endeavour to continue in office with the assistance of Progressives and Independents. 'lllere is already talk of another election. . Tea Cabinet Members Defeated. A feature of the election was the defeat of the Prime Minister, Mr. W. L. Mackenzie King, in his own constituency

in Ontario. Early reports indicated that Mr. Meighen, the Conservative Leader, had been defeated. Late returns, however, established bis majority, and his election is now conceded.

Startling in its wholesaleness was the downfall of Mr. King in his own constituency and the defeat of at least nine of his Ministers. 1 These included Mr. C. V. Massey, Minister without portfolio; Mr. G. P. Graham, Minister for Bailways; Mr. Foster, Secretary of State; Mr. G. H. Gordon, Minister for Immigration ; Mr. T. Low, Minister for Trade and Commerce; Mr. H. Marler, Minister withorjt portfolio; Mr. C. Stewart, Minister for the Interior; and Mr. J. Mur-doch^-Minister for Labour. In Quebec the Leader of the Independents, Mr. Patenaude, was defeated in his own constituency.

The Conservatives gained three seats in Montreal and one rural seat, but the liberals are conceded to have won 61 seats in Quebec.

Only the fact that Quebec went traditionally Liberal saved Mr- King from a devastating defeat. Even the prairie provinces, which were expected to vote Liberal, if not Progressive, returned a surprisingly large number of Conservatives, including Mr. Meighen. Change of Rule Anticipated. Although the returns from the western provinces were late the majority of the people of Canada went to bed last night fairly certain that the country will have a Conservative Government in the next Parliament, even though its majority may be so slender that only expert leadership will enable it to carry on. The earlier indications were that the outcome of the election would be close. There was a Conservative landslide in

Ontario. The'-maritime provinces gava a Conservative majority. There were also strong Conservative gains in all the eastern provinces except Quebec. In Nova Scotia the Conservatives secured 14 seats and the Liberals 3. In New. Brunswick the Conservatives won 10 seats and the Liberals 1.

CONSERVATIVE LEADER.

A FORMER PRIME MINISTER, j DETAILS OF HIS CAREER. Mr." Arthur Meighen, Leader of the Conservative Parly in Canada, was the first westerner to be chosen Prime Minister of the Dominion, having succeeded Sir Robert Borden in that office in 1920, when - the latter resigned owing to illhealth. Mr. Meighen formed his Ministry on July 10 of that year, attaining to the high office at the early age of 46 years. His party was defeated at the general election in 1921, Mr. Meighen himself losing his seat—Portage la Prairie, a final! town, 60 miles west of Winnipeg, which he had' represented since 1908. Iri 3922 he was returned for Grenvilie, Ontario, arid has continued to lead the party in opposition.

A lawyer by profession, Mr. Meighen was born at Anderson, Perth County, Ontario, in 1874. He was educated at Toronto University, where, among his contemporaries, were Mr. Mackenzie King, Leader of the Liberal Party, and Mr. E. iW. Beatty, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. On graduating with honours in' mathematics, Mr. Meighen

Went west and was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1993, and in the following year Started practice in Portage la Prairie.

Entering Parliament in 1908, Mr. Meighen quickly established a reputation as a skilful debater, and when the Conservatives regained power, was appointed Solicitor-General in 1913. This office did not then carry a seat in the Cabinet. Four years later, however, when tho Unionist Government was formed, Mr. Meighen was promoted to the position of Secretary of State and Minister for Mines, and in the following year, he was one of the Canadian representatives in the Imperial War Cabinet. He had charge of much of the most important legislation which was passed by the House of Commons during the Unionist regime, and successfully piloted through the House the measure providing for the Government's taking over the Grand Trunk and the Canadian Northern railway systems.

The last general election in Canada was held on December 6, 1921. At that time there were 235 seats in the House of Commons, but there are now 245, as the redistribution made as a result of the "census in that year provided for an additional 10 members. The Representation Act of 1924 fixed the representation as follows: —Ontario, 82; Quebec, 65; Nova Scotia, 14; New Brunswick, 11; Manitoba, 17; British Columbia, 14; Prince Edward Island, 4; Saskatchewan, 21; Alberta, 16; and Yukon, 1. Of the 235 seats contested in 1921 the Liberals secured 117; the Progressives (Farmers), 65; Conservatives (Coalitionists), 51; and Labour, 2. Quebec fulfilled the expectations of the Liberals by returning the whole of her candidates (65) as adherents of that party. Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island provided a surprise by also voting solidly Liberal (returning 20 members). The Prime Minister, Mr. Arthur Meighen, lost his seat in Manitoba to a Farmer candidate. There the voting was: Farmers, 12; Liberals, 2; Labour, 1. For the remaining provinces the results were: Ontario, Conservatives, 37; Liberals, 22; Progressives, 23. Alberta: Progressives, 10; Liberal, 1; Labour, 1. Saskatchewan ; Progressives, 14; Liberals, 2. British Columbia; Conservatives, 7; Liberals, 3; Progressives, 3. New Brunswick; Conservatives, 5; Liberals, 5; Progressive, 1. Yukon: Conservative, 1. Tho Canadian correspondent of the Times in a recent despatch to his papej- said: —"If the Liberal Government is defeated it will be because the country demands a revision of the tariff and particularly some action to meet the prohibitory tariff of the United States; because there is a common feeling that the Government's immigration policies have been timid, uncertain and comparatively unproductive; because taxes and super-taxes upon income and sales taxes on business arc eating up all reserves of capital, checking enterprise and producing unemployment; because the huge burden of deficits and capital expenditure on the National Railways has become intolerable; and because the country has come to believe that a Liberal Government at the mercy of the Progressives cannot give such constructive policies as the times demand. It may be added that if the Conservatives return to office there will be some modification of the British preference in order to give greater protection to certain Canadian industries, unless Britain makes a distinct advance in reciprocal preferences to the Dominion; and there will be also a readjustment of freight charges, and probably some such system of subsidies as Australia gives to primary producers, to assist exchange of products between the Provinces and shipment through Canadian ports to ultimate markets." »