Dear Mr. Bruce,

London Press reports on the Australian Election Campaign have been
rather meagre. [1] The 'Times' has published a number of
interesting messages but at this end of the world it is very hard
to get any clear picture of happenings in Australia.

As you can easily imagine, there are a number of us who will be
looking at the tape late on Saturday night and at the Sunday
morning papers with the very liveliest interest. Although there
has been little news of the Australian Elections, there is no
doubt that everybody here regards the Commonwealth Election as
being of far greater importance than the Canadian or the New
Zealand Elections and the results are awaited with the very
greatest interest.

You must be feeling very tired after your extremely strenuous
campaign and I hope that circumstances will enable you to have a
decent spell after Saturday before resuming very active work.

The 'Daily Mail' reported the other day that you had travelled
during the last month 8,000 miles and made 71 speeches. I should
imagine this must constitute something approaching a record.

Please accept my sincerest good wishes for Christmas and the New
Year and please remember me kindly to Mrs. Bruce.

Yours sincerely
F. L. MCDOUGALL