AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20375, 2 October 1929, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS.

THE MAIN STORM CENTRES.

MR. HIJQHES AND HIS SEAT.

KEEN STRUGGLE PROCEEDING.

PRIME MINISTER'S WAR RECORD.

[from our own correspondent.] SYDNEY. Sept. 2G. In connection with the Foderal election campaign Sydney's loading morning newspaper has provided a bit of piquant and probably very effectivo propaganda for tho Prime Minister, Mr. Bvuce. If the Nationalists % arc not lacking in enterprise, they will make use of it in every housoh'old in Iho electorate, Nonh Sydney, in which Mr. Hughes is now engaged in a battle-royal with tho selected Nationalist, Dr. Nott. This propaganda—a clover picco of work that told its own story without any comment—took tho form of a largo picture of Mr. Bruce, with the story of his war record underneath it. Actually—and most of the public saw tho point of it—it was tho newspaper's sly tilt at Mr. Hughes and thoso of his horo-worshippers who acclaim him as "Tho Little Digger," and tho only politician, in their mind, who has any claims to war association, and to tho support of tho returned men. Mr. Hughes, although ho is tho petted darling of many of tho diggers, is not, as is well known, a returned soldier. As Primo Minister, ho certainly did things for tho "diggers." Other soldier-poli-ticians, however, including Mr. Bruce, liavo also been tireless in thoir advocacy of tho returned men's claims. A Rominder to the Public. Tho newspaper's propaganda was just a reminder to tho public, since tho man himself never refers to it, that Mr. Bruce has not merely dono his bit for tho returned men, but that ho heroically played his part wlion ho landed with tho famous 29th Division under devastating machinegun fuo at Gallipoli, was twice wounded, and, after having spent 18 months in hospital, was discharged as unfit for further activo scrvico.

Tho stouri centres of tho election in New South Walc:j aro, of course, North Sydney and Wentworth, tho retiring .Nationalist representatives of which, Mr. Hughes and Mr. Walter Marks respectively, wore the central figures in the downfall of tho Government which they were returned to support. Excluded from selection, both aro running against Nationalists carrying tiio party's ticket. Tho fact that Labour is not contesting theso two scats is not u bit surprising in all the circumstances. It is unfortunate, at tho same time, for Dr. Nott, nti far as North Sydney is concern odj- for Mr. Hughes will now inevitably get tho Labour as well as independent Nationalist support in tho electorate. '■ A Very Keen Contest. J)?. Nott, if ho runs true to his old Queensland form, notably on tho occasion when ho sont Mr. Thcodoro into tho political wilderness, is likely to givo Mr. Hughes the contest of tho latter's life, but ho can hardly liopo to win, with Labour making a gift to Mr. Hughes of all its votes in North Sydney. Dr. Nott, by tho way, is giving his mterjectors a very rough passage. If the Nationalist Party can utlseat Mr. Hughes, and still be defeated as a party at tho polls, it will bo unspeakably happy. It is of tho same frame of mind with regard to Mr. Marks, whoso 'prospect of being returned is not, at the moment, quite as bright as that of Mr. Hughes. A stronghold of Nationalism, North Sydney is, or always has been, one of tiio party's "blue-ribbon" seats. Tho question now is whether Mr. Hughes, in view of his attitude toward the Government, has any rightful claim to a scat which up to tho present, at all events, has been true-blye Nationalist by_ a solid two-thirds 'majority. Nothing is moro strongly indicative of tho party's attempt to relegate Mr. Hughes to obscurity than the fact that Mr. W. A. Holman, K.C., ex-Preraicr of New South Wales, and ono cf tho most brilliant and forceful of Australia's platform speakers, has taken the •• iitage with Mr. Bruco and others in tho campaign. Several Doubtful Seats. Mr. Holman has beon frankly and openly critical of tho Nationalist Party on several occasions in tho past, but lie does not approve of Mr. Hughes' tactics politically, even if there is still to-day perhaps something of old traditional friendship for him in a purely personal way, sinco they were both pioneers of tho Labour movement back in tho old days. Mr. Hoimun's entry on tho election stage is one of tho circumstances indicating that tho party's battle against Mr. Hughes is war to the last ditch. Political tipsters aro already busy. It is conceded by both sides that tho election will ho won or lost in New South Wales,- where several seats arc regarded as doubtful, either from the Labour or t-he Ministerial standpoint. Some, Nationalists among them, with their ears fr> t'nO' political ground, say they believe that tho Government will lose two or three seats in New South Wales. Others, taking tho position by and large, express the view that tho Government will go back with a mere working majority. To: sum ap, however, is premature.