CANADIAN ELECTION

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23226, 13 June 1945, Page 5

CANADIAN ELECTION

Liberals Assured Of Return Majority Sharply Reduced By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (10.20 p.m.) OTTAWA, June 12. The latest ‘ returns in the Canadian elections are: Liberals 115 Conservatives 60 Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 20 Social Credit 13 Doubtful 17 Tire voting was heavy, possibly a record. The Canadian Press says Mr Mackenzie King appeared assured of a continuance in office, but with a sharply reduced majority. In Mr King’s own constituency early returns gave his opponent a lead, but later the Prime Minister recovered substantially. All the other party leaders were elected. The Defence Minister, Major-General A. G. L. McNaughton, was defeated in Quappelle, Saskatchewan, running behind both the Conservative and Cooperative Commonwealth Federation candidates. The Revenue Minister, Mr J. A. Maclaren, was also defeated. Most of the other Ministers were elected. The Service vote is expected to be announced on June 20. It will probably affect a number of constituencies where the majority is very slender. Mr John Bracken, Progressive Conservative leader, said he accepted the people’s verdict and congratulated Mr King. Mr Bracken expressed the opinion that the years ahead would be difficult, but the Opposition would contribute constructively. Mr M. J. Coldwell, leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, attributed his party’s defeat to “tissues of falsehoods, distortions and confusion deliberately created.” The Canadian Press says the Government’s previous heavy majority shrank to modest proportions as the result of losses in the -west. In Quebec the Independents and Independent Liberals were the chief gainers at the Liberals’ expense. It was in Ontario where the Progressive Conservatives gained seats.

Tn the old Parliament the distribution of the 245 seats was:— Liberals 370 Progressive-Conservatives 39 Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 11 Other parties 25