ELECTIONS IN PROVINCE OF QUEBEC

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 254, 27 October 1939, Page 8

ELECTIONS IN PROVINCE OF QUEBEC

( , LIBERALS WELL IN THE LEAD 1 FIVE MINISTERS BEATEN DUPLESSIS PARTY BEATEN ' VOTE FAVOURS CONSCRIPTION Received Oct. 26, 10 p.m. QUEBEC. Oct. 26. The final election figures are:— Liberal 68 Union Nationale - - 15 National 1 Independent 1 Deferred 1 Although the Prime Minister, Mr. Duplessis, is elected, at least five of his Cabinet have been defeated. Mr. i Adelard Godbout will return to the Premiership. The Duplessis Party has conceded a Liberal victory. Mr. La Pointe. Federal Minister of Justice, in a statement, thanked the voters and said he would be remaining at his post. Outstanding questions on which the province voted were: Provincial autonomy, conscription, and Canada's par-1 ticipation in the war. A spirited month's campaign has been marked by allegations of gangster methods and misrepresentation. The conscription issue followed the action of the Premier, Mr. Duplessis, in calling for an election two years before the end of the five-year term, on the ground that Federal war measures threatened the province's autonomy. Mr. Duplessis charged the) Dominion with attempting centralisation and assimilation. This drew Federal Cabinet Ministers from Quebec into the campaign alongside the Liberal Party leader, Mr. Adelard Godbout. The Federal Minister of Justice, Mr. Lapointe, announced that Federal Cabinet Ministers from Que-, bee would resign if the Duplessis Gov- ] ernment was re-elected, making a! Federal election almost certain in that i event. In spite of repeated assurances that the Dominion would not countenance conscription and similar pledges to other party leaders. Mr. Duplessis campaigned as the champion against conscription. CANADIAN DEFENCE HUGE CONTRACT FOR RAIL EQUIPMENT BOARD TO END OPERATIONS OTTAWA, Oct. 25. The Defence Purchasing .Board has , announced a contract of 25,000,000 ; dollars for railway equipment. Simultaneously it revealed that it will cease , to function on November 1, when its , duties will be taken over by the War ; Supply Board, which will act as s general purchaser for Britain and then Allies.