QUEENSLAND ELECTIONS

Wairarapa Daily Times, 11 June 1932, Page 5

QUEENSLAND ELECTIONS

CLOSE CONTEST INEVITABLE. LABOUR’S BIG LEEWAY. BRISBANE, Friday. Impartial observers say a close contest is inevitable in the Queensland elections. The Labour Opposition has so much leeway to make up that i big swing will be necessary to give them the reins of office. In the last Parliament the parties were as follow: — Country-Progressive - Nationalist 41 Labour 2( > Independent 2 The Redistribution Act reduced the number of seats by 10, leaving the parties: — Country-Progressive - Nationalist 41 Labour Independent 2 Labour must therefore gain 13 seats to secure a majority.

It is expected that Labour will score heavily in the north and central districts, also in the metropolitan area. The Government should hold its own on Darling Downs and the south coast, but it is regarded unlikely that it will gain seats anywhere. The general belief is that its majority is likely to be reduced, but whether it ■ will vanish altogether will be determined on polling day. In addition to having no sympathy with the Premiers’ Plan as at present drawn, the Labour leader, Mr Forgan Smith, promises to raise a “revival loan” for the absorption of the unemployed. This money is supposed to come from the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. The Premier, Mr Moore, has now ascertained that the company has not been approached upon such a matter. Nine parties are contesting the election, as follows:—The Government Party, the Country and Progressive Nationalist Party, the Official Labour Party, the Independent Party, the Queensland Party, the Communist Party, the Lang Planners’ Party, the Douglas Credits System Advocates, and the Independent Farmers’ Party.