CATHOLIC VOTE STABLE IN DUTCH ELECTION

But Communists lose 27 seats
From Ow Netherlands Correspondent The Catholic Party held its own in the Netherlands pro vincial council elections last week, securing 189 seats—one more than at the last elections —out of a total of 590.
There was no substantial change in the representation of the Labour Party—I56 seats against I57—but the Liberal Party improved its position, rising from 37 to 49.
The main Protestant parties gained eight seats in all.
Though the Communists campaigned for " peace and bread—but never mentioned the word Communist—the voters were not taken in, and the Communists lost 27 seats. The small Catholic National Party, which came into being over the Indonesian question, strongly criticising the Catholic People's Party for supporting the Government in complying with foreign pressure and advocating a break with the Labour Party, emerged with only one seat.
The provincial elections are important because the councils elect the members of the First Chamber — somewhat equivalent to the House of Lords.