LABOUR LEADING

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11867, 28 June 1924, Page 5

LABOUR LEADING

VICTORIAN ELECTIONS GOVERNMENT’S STRENGTH CONSIDERABLY REDUCED. RETURNS INCOMPLETE. Bv Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright MELBOURNE, June 27. The polling in the Sitate elections yesterday was apathetic. There were four parties in the field —the Conservative Nationalists, or Government Party, the Liberals, consisting of the breakaway wing of the/ Government supporters and the new anti-Conserva-tive candidates, and the Labour and Country parties. The returns will not be available till late, as the voting was on the preferential system, and the counting did not begin till midnight. Progress returns of the polling show that the state of the parties -will be:— Labour .26 Nationalists 20 Country Party 13 Independents 6 Many of the returns are still incomplete. On the present figures, I-abour Has gained four seats, and has a possibility of gaining seven. INDEPENDENTS’ GAINS. The six Independents elected indude fivo ‘‘breakaway Liberals,” so that the Government has apparently lost II seats, though there is a possibility of the position altering somewhat. Tho Country Party appears likely to lose one scat to Labour. All the Ministers and l other party leaders seem to be safe. The Premier, Sir Alexander Peacock, declined to comment on the position, but in face of the fact that as things stand the Government can count only on 20 direct supporters, compared with 30 in tho last Parliament, it is considered) that he will probably resign. It 'has been ascertained that Sir Arthur Robinson, tlio AttorneyGeneral, intends to resign from the Cabinet shortly. LATEST RETURNS LABOUR STRONGEST PARTY. Bv Telegraph.—Frees Assn. —Copyright. (Received June 27, 10.25 p.m.) MELBOURNE. June 27. The latest election returns indicate that the state of parties will be:— labour 29 Nationalists 23 Country Party 12 Independent Labour 1 The Ministry has made it clear that it will not resign before Parliament meets, when the Labour Party will launch a censure motion, as a trial of strength. So far all the prominent candidates have been returned.