The Australian Elections
The Australian General Election (the final results of which are not to hand as we write) confirms Mr. Menzies and his coalition Government in power, but with something less than even the slender majority which he commanded before the dissolution. In the House of Representatives the Government total is likely to be 40, made up of 25 United Australia Party (no change) and 14 Country Party seats (loss of three), with one Inde- pendent, while the Opposition will number 34 (gain of two), 31 of these representing the official Labour Party, and three the Lang dissidents. In the Senate the Government musters 19 against 17. Late votes, the soldiers' in particular, nlaY modify these results, but the general position cannot be greatlY affected. The United Australia-Country Party coalition will have to hold together closely in view of the narrowness of its majority, and Mr. Menzies, who comes back personallY strengthened by a conspicuous success in his own constituency, illr o doubt attempt, as he has before, to form a• National Government in which official Labour would be included. Mr. Curtin, the able leader of the Labour Party, seems in danger of losing his seat at Fremantle, but no doubt another wou:si soon be found for him. There is no shadow of difference between the three parties in their zeal for the vigorous prosecu- tion of the war, but that determination would assume a more impressive aspect if a National Government were formed to give expression to it. But the Labour Party is itself not too cohesive, and as the largest of the three parties in the Federal Parliament it might put its demands for Cabinet seats high. As an opposition pledged to the maximum war-effort it can do almost equally useful work.
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