BRUCE-PAGE WIN

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 83, 19 November 1928, Page 5

BRUCE-PAGE WIN

COMMONWEALTH ELECTIOHS RPDUGED MAJORITY, MANY CLOSE CONTESTS. FINAL FIGURES NOT TO HAND. SYDNEY, Nov. 18... The Commonwealth elections yesetrday result oil in the return ci the Bruce-Page composite Government with a reduced majority. Mr Brace's majority, however, will he a good working one. The present figures disclose a number of close contests in identically tli e same electorates where an element, of doubt has always prevailed previously, and the 'outcome will not he known till Wednesday. SURPRISE RESULTS. * There wer e two surprise results in New South Wales, Mr Ley, the former Nationalist member for Barton, having been defeated by Mr Tully (Labour). This was originally a Labour seat but Mr Ley, who is regarded as a strong man for the Nationalist 1 cause, was alone thought capable of holding it against Labour.

Sir Elli'ot Johnson, for many years Pi taker in the House of Representatives, and a veteran parliamentarian, is likely to he defeated by Mr Long, the Labour candidate, in the Lang electorate. Somehow Sir Elliot' has always managed to pull victory out of the fire at th e last moment 1 , and his friends are hoping he may do it again. Another close contest 1 is' occurring in the Gwydir electorate, where, as i n the past, Mr Abbott, the Country Party nominee, is doing his best to hold the seat, which has hitherto been held by the present Labour aspirant, Mr Cunningham. There is a danger of Mr Manning (Nationalist) being defeated in the Macquarrie electorate by Mr Chiefly, who is a Labour man, but there a/atn tl:a late votes generally help the retiring member.

POSITION IN QUEENSLAND. The position in Queensland! pq most interesting. Dr. Nott (Nationalist) is doing his best to hold the Herbert seat, formerly a stronghold of Mr Theodore when he was Labour Premier cf the State, against Mr Marten (Labour), who is sure to run Dr. Nott very clos e if be does not actually beat him. The contest in the Kennedy electorate between Mr Francis (Nationalist), who is being closely pursued by Mi' Ricrdan (Labour), is sure to remain in doubt till the last moment. This seat has (hitherto been a Labour one.

NO CHANGES OF NOTE. The fiS» ~ps for South Australia and West Australia do not indicate any changes of note while in Tasmania the position is likely to be -as y'ou were." This means strong support for the Bruce-Pag e Government in that State. There is only one seat in doubt, that of Sir John Gellibrancl (Nationalist), wjho wen the Dennison seat from Labour at the last election. He is seriously threatened with defeat. Victorian returns show no material change, although Ministers Rodgers and Gibson are being hard pressed. But in these two, along with Ballarat, combatants are never allowed to win easily. The sam e may be said of the Bendigo contest, where Mr Hurry (Nationalist) is again having a hard light to retain the against Mr McDonald (Labour). Mr Bruce had a comfortable win in the Flinders electorate against 1 a strong Labour opponent, Mr Holloway. His majority is over 5000, while Dr. Page has secured an 8000 majority to date over his opponent, Mr Swiney (Labour), in the Cowper electorate. The Senate returns reflect heavy polling in the metropolitan areas for Labour nominees, but no indication concerning th e outcome Is likely till Wednesday.

WIN FOR HUGHES. The veteran politician, Mr AV, M. retained the North Sydney seat by a majority of 13,000 over Mr Howe, the Labour candidate. On the present figures the state of the parties in the new House will .probably be: Nationalists ~ ' 29 Country Party ll Labour ** 4 Independent * At the dissolution the parties

were: Nationalist 38, Country Party 14, Labour 23. The referendum shows a thre e to one approval of the Government's proposals for the transference Of State debts to the Commonwealth and financial adjustments. The" counting of the House and Senate votes was resumed to-night, but the results thus far are inconclusive in the doubtful seat's. BRUCE WILL HAVE MAJORITY. SOME SEATS .STILL IN T DOUBT. (Received 11.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The election position remains undecided in several seats though the ministry, is awMl nfl a working majority. The Heraldi places the present statis of the parties as follows: Nationalists 23 Country Party 11 1 Progressive Country Party I Labour -^ Doubtful ' 7 Labour appears certa|n to carry the Senate scuts in New South Wales, South Australia and possibly Victor, ia. The total votes counted thus far total 2,202,105 of which Labour received 1,127,688 and the Nationalists 1,074,417. While the Labour leaders regard the poll as disclosing that the people are tired of M r Bruce's Government the Nationalist spokesmen are reticent and are awaiting the final results which will not bo known for a, couple of day's.— lia Press Assn.