FEDERAL ELECTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23331, 25 October 1937, Page 7

FEDERAL ELECTION

MR LYONS RETURNED TO POWER ANTI-LABOUR GOVERNMENT SIMILAR MAJORITY EXPECTED THIRD TERM IN OFFICE (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) SYDNEY, Oct. 24. (Received' Oct. 24, at 10 p.m.) As a result of the Australian elections for the Federal Parliament, which were held on Saturday, it is expected that the Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons) will be returned to power with much the same majority as in the last Parliament. When the counting ceased yesterday morning the position was as follows: United Australia and United Country Parties 34 Labour 28 Doubtful 12 The return to office of Mr Lyons on a third occasion creates history in Federal politics. The Sunday papers regard the result as a blow to the Lang section of the Labour Party. Mr Lyons, when interviewed, said he was certain that, had not the false issue of conscription been raised, the Government’s position would have been stronger than it is. In Danger of Defeat The elections passed off quietly on Saturday. A highlight was the voting at Warringah, where the Minister of Defence (Sir Archdale Parkhill) is in danger of being defeated by the Independent United Australia Party candidate, Mr P. C. Spender, K.C. Sir Archdale Parkhill at present has a lead of some 7000 votes, but the allocation of preferences may wipe this out.

Mr Lyons has a substantial majority in the Wilmot electorate. Mr J. Curtin, Labour leader, is similarly situated at Fremantle. Two Ministers without portfolio, Mr H. V. C. Thorby in Calare and Mr J. A. J. Hunter, in Maranoa, are hard pressed. Mr Thorby has a slight lead but Mr Hunter is nearly 3000 votes behind the Labour candidate, Mr Randolph Bedford, though Mr Hunter expects to win on the rural votes. In spite of the loss of popularity which the Minister for the Interior (Mr T. Paterson) suffered over his handling of the Freer case, he will be returned. The Senate At the close of the counting, the position regarding the Senate was not clear. Labour leads strongly in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, but the United Australia and United Country Parties lead in Tasmania. The position in the other States is vague. HOPES FOR LABOUR SUCCESS NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT PRAISED LONDON, Oct. 22. (Received Oct. 24, at 6.30 p.m.) The Daily Herald, in a leader on the Australian elections, says: “All wishes go out for a Labour victory. A thousand pities that; there is acute dissension in the Australian movement on the question of external policy, but foreign affairs is by no means the beginning and end of politics. New Zealand has shown by brilliant Labour administration that the Commonwealth can do the same.” MANY CANDIDATES SEVENTY-ONE SEATS CONTESTED PREVIOUS MAJORITY OF EIGHTEEN / There are 75 seats in the Australian House of Representatives, and all but four of them were contested. Four Labour members holding seats ■—two in New South Wales and two in Victoria —were returned unopposed. The total nominations were 194. The last Ministry, led by Mr J. A. Lyons, was formed of United Australia Party and Country Party representatives. Its total strength in the House was 46. The Labour Party numbered 28. There was one Independent, Mr A. M. Blain, Northern Territory, who was entitled to vote only on matters affecting his own soarsely-populated electorate. Thus, for policy issues, the membership of the House is 74, and the Lyons Government commanded a clear majority of 18 votes. Strength of Parties The strength of the three main parties in the various States were:—

In view of the pact between the two Ministerial parties, their candidates will coma into conflict in very few electorates. The oarty alignments of the candidates were: —Labour, 76; U.A.P., 49; Country, 25; Douglas Credit, 15 (including 10 in Queensland); Inde-

pendent, 23; Independent U.A.P., 2; Independent Labour, 2; Communist, 2. The Senate Simultaneously with the election for the House of Representatives, an election was conducted for 18 seats in the Senate—three for each State. Senators hold office for six years, and, although the retiring members will continue in office until next June, they were obliged to seek reelection now. The Senate is not constructed on a population basis, but each State has six representatives. Labour forces in the last Senate were' weak, and were recruited mainly from Queensland. In that State the three retiring senators were Labour nominees. Elsewhere the retiring senators belonged to the non-Labour parties.

r A.r. Country Labour Total New South Wales 11 0 11 28 Victoria 11 3 0 20 Queensland .. • • 2 3 5 10 South Australia .. 3 2 1 6 West Australia .. 1 2 2 5 Tasmania .. .. 2 — 3 5 Totals .. .. 30 16 28 74