CONFIDENCE OF PARTIES

Southland Times, Issue 24237, 21 September 1940, Page 6

CONFIDENCE OF PARTIES

FEDERAL ELECTIONS TODAY RECENT CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received September 20, 6.3(T p.m.) SYDNEY, September 20. Although polling in the Federal elections takes place tomorrow, following a whirlwind campaign by the 338 candidates for the House of Representatives, it is quite impossible, according to disinterested political observers, to predict the outcome. Early in the campaign the belief was popular that the Menzies Government in the emergency circumstances of today, with its “all in” war policy, would undoubtedly receive a mandate to carry on. Labour’s programme, which is similarly based, appeared to admit of no substantial reason why there should be any changing of horses in midstream, but within the past fortnight a change has come over the scene. The customary side issues and fault-finding have intruded to the Government’s disadvantage and discomfiture. Strangely, most of the criticism, when directed against the Ministry, has come from members of the United Australia Party and not alone from Labour opponents. CHALLENGE TO MINISTERS In this election the party machine departed from custom by endorsing more than one Government candidate for certain constituencies, and, according to reports, some of these have a definite chance of ousting their retiring parliamentary colleagues. A case in point is the Parramatta electorate, where the Minister of Supply and Munitions (Sir Frederick Stewart) has seven opponents, two of whom are fellow-members of the party. They are making political capital out of the petrol rationing troubles and are pressing him closely. The Postmaster-General (Mr H. V. C. Thorby) is getting bitter opposition, and his prospects of success are far from rosy.

The crop of independent candidates has tended to complicate the Government’s task of focusing public attention on vital war issues, but it is generally conceded that the fate of the Government will be largely determined by the voting in New South Wales. The Labour Party’s campaign directors are exceedingly optimistic. They claim that the results of the three recent by-elections in New South Wales, particularly Ryde, and also Corio (Victoria) earlier in the year, reveal an unmistakable swing to Labour. They are hopeful of winning at least four seats in New South Wales, including Barton, by Dr H. V. Evatt; formerly of the High Court Bench, who has given a great fillip to the Labour campaign, and claim that they will win at least three seats in the other States. They require to win altogether only five in order to obtain a narrow working majority in the House of Representatives. Furthermore, Labour expects to get control of the Senate. The party possesses the initial advantage of holding 14 of the 17 seats not contested in this election, and only needs to win Senate seats in two of the six States in order to achieve its objective. In other circumstances there may be a stalemate.

PRIME MINISTER’S SEAT The Prime Minister (Mr R. G. Menzies) had a rousing reception in most of the large centres of the eastern States, but has had to submit to considerable heckling at a few meetings this week in the southern State. He is in the difficult position of having to keep one eye on his own electorate of Kooyong, where he has five opponents, four of whom are independents of more than average standing. United Australia Party officials cannot see the Government being defeated, and consider rather that it will strengthen its present majority as a result of the Labour feuds and factions in New South Wales.

The Country Party is confident that its numbers in the House of Representatives will not be diminished, and, indeed, expects to win a couple of seats in New South Wales.

The result of the elections is likely to remain in doubt for some time because of the plethora of candidates and parties and the checking of the soldiers’ votes here and abroad, also the distribution of preferences in doubtful contests.

The state of the parties at the dissolution was:—House of Representatives: Labour 3.3, United Australia Party 26, United Country Party 15, Independent 1. Senate: Government 20. Labour 16.