FEDERAL ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21068, 30 December 1931, Page 9

FEDERAL ELECTION.

STATE OF PARTIES. GOVERNMENT S STRENGTH. LANG PARTY'S LOSSES. 818. GARDEN DEFEATED. MINISTER SHARES FATE. ]3t Telegraph—Prep* Association—Copyright. (Received Dcoember 30, 12.35 n.m.) ' . . SYDNEY. Dec. i!j). The. distribution of preference votes has been completed in-. Macrjuarie, New South Wales, where the Minister of Defence, Mr. J. B. (Tiifley. has been defeated by Mr. J. Lawscti (United Australia Tarty) by £56 votes. The Final count in tlio Cook electorate jhows that, the silling member, Mr. El Riley. junior (Federal Labour), has triumphed over Mr. J. S. Garden (Lang plan candidate) by 713 votes. The result of this contest had been awaited with the greatest, interest. Mr. Garden's defeat reduces the Lang planners, otherwise the Beasleyites, to four in a House of 75 members. Hitherto they have had five members. The state of the parties now is' as follows: Government. United Australia Party i. .• 58 United Country Parly . . 16 Independents . . . . . . 2 56 Or rosin os\ Federal Labour Party . * 14 Plan Labour . . . , '1 13 One scat is still in doubt. The progress of the Senate count is estremelv slow and tedious. The United 'Australia Party's -candidates continue to maintain a substantial, lead over all the other parties excepting in Queensland, where three of, the retiring Senators are likely to be defeated. FORMING A CABINET. MR. J. A. LYONS' TASK. COUNTRY * PARTY'S CLAIMS. (Received December'2o, 0.15 p.m.) SYDNEY. Dec. 20. Mr. J. A. L yons expects to be able to Announce the personnel of his new Federal Cabinet on Thursday. The question of what representation the Country Party is to be given in the Ministry is the subject of controversy in the press and constitutes a delicate aspect as, although the .Country Party emerged from the recent general election with increased strength the fact remains that the United Australia Tarty has an absolute majority over all the other parties in the House of Representative's. One section >of the press desires the Country Party to be given adequate representation. Several members of the party met in Sydney and ,discussed the conditions on which it will co-operate with the United Australia Party in the formation of the new Cabinet. It was agreed that Mr. Lyons should exercise a free hand in making his choice, the members of the Country Party> being less concerned with holding office than with the adoption of a definite policy which will solve Australia's difficulties, and behind which the united parties could range themselves. Such a policy was agreed upon prior to the election, the main features of which are:— (1) A revision of the tariff to reduce the cost of living and of production. (2) Constitutional changes to onablfc the people of New South Wales to secure the control of their own affairs and automatically to force Mr. Lang to go to the country. (3) Means to deal effectually with Communists. ' Dr. Earle Page, leader of the Country Party, is willing, if desired, to act merely as a liaison between the new Government and- his party. Mr. Lyons, who is now in Tasmania, has declared that he- wants a completely united party and will consider any representations from the Country Party which will achieve that end. Accordingly he has arranged to meet L>r. Pago at Melbourne tomorrow.