NEW SOUTH WALES POLITICS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14327, 18 October 1910, Page 5

NEW SOUTH WALES POLITICS.

LABOUR JUST AHEAD. Prfi6s Association —By Tel. —Copyright. SIDNEY, Oct. 16. Many small returns from country electorates have still to come, but they are not likely to alter the results. As the figures stand the new House is composed of forty-six Labour and forty-lour Liberals. A second ballot required in four electorates may slightly alter parties. SYDNEY, Oct. 17. Final returns from Bingara give Mr McDonald, the Labour candidate, a majority of 40, over Mr Moore, Minister of Lands. There is a possibility of the Labour party winning St. Leonards seat on the second ballot. Tlie leaders of both sides are reticent pending the completion of the returns. Probably a Cabinet meeting will be held to-day or to-morrow to discuss the situation. THE CABINET IN DOUBT. Received 12.50 a.m., Oct. 18th. SYDNEY, Oct. 17. The Cabinet discussed the political situation to-day, and decided to await the final returns before taking any. definite steps. THE LOCAL OPTION POLL. SYDNEY, Oct. 16. Tlie local option returns will not be complete for some days. Later figures, however, instead of improving the no-license position, as the. party hoped, point strongly in the opposite direction, and to many electorates which at last election voted reduction reverting to continuance. On the present incomplete figures only thirteen favour reduction. At last election sixty-four voted reduction. The liquor party is jubilant orer what they claim is a strong set' back tc the m> license movement. Mr Boyce admits that his party did not receive the support anticipated from tho electors. A FEW " REDUCTIONS." PRESS COMMENT. Received 11.20 p.m.. Oct. 17th. SYDNEY, Oct. 17. On the present figures (many are still incomplete) fourteen electorates, including Allowrie, appear to have secured reduction, but Alloivrie's later returns destroy any hope of no license being carried. The " Telegraph," commenting on the situation, says the poll indicates that in the opinion of a majority of the electorates reduction of licenses is not a process to be repeated every three years, but when once the hotels are cut down to meet the legitimate requirements of a district, there should be no further interference. A reasonable deduction to be drawn from the emphatic expression against even reduction is that the electorates as a whole have relused to listen to appeals in favour of no license.

A TRADE CROW. Mi Sutton, president of the licensed \ ictuallers Associutiou, claims a great victory. Tie says the election j revns that the people love liberty, and waen it is endangered tliey speak with a large vote. He never thought for a moment that they would vote otherwise than in a liberal manner. They won't be dictated to by pulpit or oross. A MORAL VICTORY. Air Boyee, addressing the State Council Alliance, said that while there was 110 important victory to chronicle, the liquor interest had been to some extent weakened by further reduot'o.is, and had been unable to stay t,'ie rout notwithstanding their enormous exicnditure. NEW ZEALAND EH'g EXPLANATION. Mr G. B. Nicliolls, the N~eu- Zealand temperance-advocate, attrib-ues the position to the labour and liquor interests voting together. The came tJ-irn-happened in New Zealand, but afterwards dropped the trade and declared war against it. LOCAL OPTION ISSUES. THE POSITION EXPLAINED. Ji 1 * Ne ™ South Wales local option poll three issues are placed before the electors-continuance,' no-license a„d reduction, but they can only vote for rittl no r'"' " is not earicd, no-license votes then count for 1 lS fco-liwmse, as in New Zea. hind at present, 1S carried bv a thrce- ' ntUis majority. 1 iv'V el< ' c ' tio " in Now South }} "'ps 403.692 votes were cast, with ! 9 ! j'n q- ,mVIJ, r For continuance. | I (J.J/1, reduction 74.721, and for noI .cense 178 000 Reduction was curried | O J. electorates, and continuance in