13 MAY 1938, Page 2

The South African Election The Union of South Africa holds

its eighth General Election next week. No great change is to be expected, though a certain interest is added to the polling by the fact that the United South Africa Party, which held 120 seats out of iso at the dissolution, presents itself -to the electors for the first time as a unit, having been formed since the last General Election by a fusion between the South African and the Nationalist Parties. The Hertzog-Smuts combina- tion still holds firmly together, and though the Nationalists under Dr. Malan, the Dominion Party under Colonel Stallard, and the Labour Party under Mr. Madeley, may all make small gains, the South .Africa Party will certainly remain in control with a comfortable majority over all opponents. There are no burning issues ; the native Bills, which arouse considerable interest in this country, are in South Africa not highly controversial; the Government is facing the electors on its record, and in view of the country's prosperity it can do that with considerable con- fidence. The Dominion Party demands more co-operation with Westminster and the Nationalist Party less or none at all. The Labour Party stands, as Labour Parties habitually do, for higher standards of living. By the end of next week the Government should have been given a further term of office, and General Heitzog, General Smuts, Mr. Pirow and Mr. Hofmeyr will remain its -leading personalities.