London, Jane 12, The first returns of the Free!
State elections, which are being con-Jdueted on the proportional representation system, show that the Gov-_ lorament party has done worse than expected and will probably lose one-third of its former strength in the Dail to the Fianna Fail (Mr. de Valera's party), the National Lea-Jgue (Captain Redmond's group) and Labour.
'Mr, Cosgrave, President of the, 'Dail, 'Mfr. de Valera and Captain Redmond are assured of election, as' is Mr, Kevin O'Higgins, Vice-President, but Mr. Peter Hughes, the Minister of Defence, has, been defeated at Louth.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.