THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 223, 19 September 1919, Page 6

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

EAKIY IN DECEMBER. PKLME MINISTERS OPINION. A FIVE WEEKS CAMPAIGN. (By Tele—rnpli.—i*urii3H2en tiirv Ilcportcr.) WELLINGTON", Thursday. While the Prime Minister and the House 'were having a little talk this afternoon about the business of the session the Leader of the Opposition interposed with an inquiry if the Premier had yet fixed the date for the general elec-1 tions — eay within a week or two. (Laughter.) The Prime was as complaisant as was possible to be. He explained that' it was impossible to name a particular! time, but he could express an opinion on tie subject. (Hear, hear.) Time was' passing rapidly, and there was an fan- : mense amount of business ahead. As to the elections, his opinion was they would be held at the beginning of Deeeml>er, either the first or second week. Thatj was as far as he could go. An Hon. Member: You will get a Christmas-box then. (Laughter and further interjections.) Sir Joseph Ward: I think it would be' a fair thing to say the elections will not take place before a certain date, say the first week in December. Then everybody would know where they were. The Premier replied that the list of measures he proposed to submit to the House was enough to keep it sitting until November ], perhaps a day or two over. Members would then have between ! five and six weeks before the actual date j of the election. His idea was that there should at least be five weeks. He could not give the House any more definite' information. n ln^ DB T T t0 a further suggestion from toe Leader of the Opposition, that the House might finish by the middle of Octo- ! ier, the Premier said he would like very nmci to get through by then, but he did l >»t think it possible I