FEDERAL ELECTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23330, 23 October 1937, Page 14

FEDERAL ELECTION

THE CAMPAIGN CONCLUDED DEVOID OF BITTERNESS LABOUR LEADERS CONFIDENT (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) SYDNEY, Oct. 22. The Commonwealth election campaign, which closes to-night, has been relatively dull and devoid of the bitterness which characterised former campaigns, due, it is thought, to the intensive use of broadcasting stations by party leaders where they are sheltered from hecklers, questioners, and the customary noisy factions.

A little heat has been engendered during the past few days by the wealth of Labour propaganda warning wives and mothers that the Lyons Government, if returned, was certain to conscript the nation's youth in the event of Britain being en.broiled in war, which-seemed imminent. The Government forces, who blame Mr Lang for this "dastardly canard," are obviously much concerned about the effects of the bogy on women voters at polling day to-morrow. Ten days ago the Prime Minister was supremely confident that the Government again would triumph at the polls largely owing to its own record and public antipathy to Labour's " isolationist defence policy," To-day, however, the position is obscure. The feeling on the Stock Exchange is that the Government will go back with a reduced majority, which at present is 18.

Labour's campaign directors, on the other hand, now declare that they will win at least 13 additional seats, six in New South Wales, two each in Victoria and Queensland, and one each in South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. Labour .requires to win 10 seats in order to gain a majority in the House of Representatives. The party strength in the last Parliament was: United Australia Party 31, United Country Party 15. Labour 28.