FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16609, 5 December 1919, Page 3

FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

LITTLE PUBLIC INTEREST. DOUBT ABOUT REFERENDUM. By Telegraph-~l’ress Assn.—Copyright, SYDNEY, Dec. 4. Beyond bitter leader and party attacks, so far there is little public interest apparent in the election campaign. All parties are fighting shy of the referendum proposals. They are apparently fearful of causing splits in the party ranks on that issue. , ' Tlie Nationalists are afraid of provoking a conflict with the State Governments, whoso powers will be considerably' curtailed if the referendum is carried. The Victorian and South Australian Governments have expressed hostility to the referendum, while tho New South Wales Nationalist Party, at a meeting, decided that members should be allowed a free hand to vote as they lilts.

The Nationalist press argues that if the Hughes party wins, it can be expected to uso the extended constitutional powers with a reasonable sense of responsibility, but if Labour wins and gains the extended powers it might prove otherwise, and the press warns electors that the question is of much more importance than is seemingly attached to it. The Labour ranks are divided on the question of the referendum, which was previously one or the strong Labour planks. The fact of it being a Government measure is largely responsible for j the present opposition.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.