For the first time in our history We have practically the entire adult Population voting at the polls. In many instances more than 93 per ent, of the electors voted and' few if any will less the 89 or 90 per cent. record. their favours. "What does it matter which party gets in?" was the hourly answer to questions shot at random as to the merit or demerit of a. particular candidate, During the years 1016) and 1917 when faced the greatest war in history, and their own fellow-countrymen valiantly performing part of the homeric deeds daily recorded in the press, the pacifist predominated. He oF she did not vote and the difference atween the Ayes and Noes of 72,496 in the first instance and 160,686 in the second instance did represent a great percentage of the people. The peculiar fact 7 about the recent election is that the pacifist is evenly divid Labour had in their ranks an equal number with the Nationalist. In 'Melbourne, Melbourne Ports, Koo-yang, Balaclava and other clectorates' (some Nationalist, some Labour) where in the past the candidate returned had_ defeated hia opponent by some 10,000 or more votes, now defeats that candi date by the same number of votes though polling 100 or 160 per cent. more votes. Thus showing an equal division amongst the non-voters at] previous elections. We, therefore, ain little by the aid of compulsory voting unless it be the extra work entailed by the printing of ballot Papers and the extra officials. yeaquired to conduct the elections. A small gain is in some instances recorded, and these extra gains will materially affect the Senate elections.
In regard to the Senate the Governiment appear to be within an ace of winning every Senate sat throughout Australia, In this case n similar situation will arise to that of 1913 should Labour be successful at the next general elections in three years' time. They could not in. 1928 win move than 16 seats, except by the death in the intervening period of a member of the House. Eighteen seats would not give them the necessary majority. in the Upper house which consists of 36° members, and so a double lection would' "be necessary. Labour's defeat is twofold, and the cost to the party funds will be enormous before they can regain control of the Federal benches, Mr. Bruce's actual gain is only some five members but the advantage of three years of sane and progressive government la assured and that, at Yeast is all required. majority all eyes are turned heaven-in search of rain. Our meteorologist, Mr. Hunt, holds out. hope for a few showers and a probable thunderstorm but will not give the much-needed report that good: rain is close at hand. It is an old: proverb that "Debts are to the farm what worms are to the tree" and applicable equally to Australia as the country of its ori The Australian farmer knows too well tunately the majority are fruit farms and rapidly becoming " new menace to the community, for they. seck endowment, rebates, and all, forms of political favours so as to enable them to market their produce with reasonable chance of making a profit. New markets abroad have to be found, so our railway stations and streets are placarded with hoardings advising you to the effects of dry spells. Te was rout Bach dol tae nse Ste Malt park up! Get on the gond health fence acclaimed that the cycle of frit droughts "Australie [or worse still they "do. "not" come."
Zeeurred every' suddenly citrus anes atmos Git yeats. Por these whose ile are chron, but" work themselves in. through, out one which consists of tempting rains to the next which is practically dry and a third similar the first. Those three years are to the farmer lean ones and if he escapes incurring debt during that period or is adjacent to some of the never failing watercourses along the const line, he is accounted one of Hfortune's ' favoured. The four years of good seasons in between fare when he makes his money and stores by the capital for the lean
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.