Melbourne, Dec. 15.
Readers of these Notes from Australia will have observed that when the Prime Minister, Mr. Hughes, returned from the Peace Conference in Europe to find that the worst elements of disorder were making themselves felt in Australia, and further—_were, through a Sinn Fein convention to support Republican Ireland, declaring themselves against the Empire,, and practically all stands for, he decided to ask the people forthwith for a mandate.
Like good general he did not propose to allow the enemies of the country to consolidate their positions. He attacked at once. It is almost needless to say that he did not give reasons, and as a consequence the conservative section on the one side, and the "domestic reform" party on the other, though with him in general, were against him in particular. The fight is over and, though details are not available, and would hardly interest your readers, Mr. Hughes has secured a fresh lease of power, and with flying colours.
His last appeal was made 1917, during the war, and while the fortunes of the nation lung in the balance. He secured overwhelming majorities in both Houses of Parliament. This time it w felt that such success could hardly be repeated, and further it was recognized that the more conservative section of the community, especially the primary producers, would ask to be heard as against this ex-Labour leader, who like Lloyd George was ruling with an iron hand under the eggs and with the help of the party which he had hitherto consistently opposed The appeal has been made, and the result has been the general endorsement of Mr. Hughes, the repudiation of the extremists, and the introduction of greater con-servetism into the Ministerial party. The floures of the results may seem absurdly small. but after all they represent the House of Representatives in the Commonwealth Parliament. At the moment, pending correction as later returns come in, the old and the new Parliament offer the following comparison Old Repre- New Representatives sentatives Liberals Nationalists 49 Ex-Labour Nationalists 49 %6 Farmers' Union 3 Official Labour 8 8
Just as Labour in the old country derived some satisfaction from the fact that the elections there brought Lloyd George more under conservative influence. so, also, the above results may bring balm to Official Labour. It is well, however, to remember that in 1910 Official Labour swept the polls, securing a substantial majority in both Houses; to-day it numbers
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.