AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23204, 31 May 1937, Page 10

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

OCTOBER SUGGESTED "LOYALTY CAMPAIGN" (From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, May 21. While the Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons) is enjoying a personal triumnh in London, his political friend's and enemies in Australia are discussing the likelihood of an early election—possibly in October. Labour, of course, is jubilant over the success of their candidate, Mr W. J. Scully, in Gwydir, and Labour leaders are certain that after the Imperial Conference, Mr Lyons will hasten back to this country to prepare for an early appeal to electors. But apart altogether from election talk, the Acting Prime Minister (Dr Earle Page) has already hinted that Mr Lyons might fly back to Australia.

Mr N. J. Makin, who is. representing the Australian Labour Party at the Coronation ceremonies and who was Speaker in the House of Representatives in the Scullin Government, declared in ah interview in London, that Mr Lyons would make a "loyalty" appeal to the electors. Commenting on this statement, the Leader of the Federal Opposition (Mr Curtin) said: "To throw a loyalty programme at the electors in an endeavour to snatch political support from the electorates, which were steadily swinging against the Government on major political issues, is doubtless regarded .as shrewd tactics by both Mr Lyons.and Dr Page, but the people will have another name for it." "Mr Curtin seems to be getting very hot and bothered," said Dr Page. " He seems to be the only person to know when the elections.will be held. Having fixed a date to suit his own fancy, he proceeds to criticise it as outrageous. It is too soon yet to say when the next appeal will be made to the electors." Mr R. G. Menzies, the Federal Attorney-general, said that so far no date had even been considered by the Federal Government. ■„ Some people seemed to be trying the old game of first imputing an intention to the Ministry about holding an election at a particular time, and then attacking the Ministry for fixing that time. < "The Ministry will have no objection whenever the election comes," Mr . Menzies added. " The issues at the next election will turn upon the performances and policy of the Ministry, and on these matters, the Ministry will be content to stand or fall. No false issues will be raised by us. Meanwhile, Labour is confident of success at the Federal poll, basing their hopes chiefly on the result' in Gwydir. The party leaders believe that the election will take place in October and they consider that the Labour Party has an excellent chance of winning a number of metropolitan as well as country seats.