MINISTERS AND ELECTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 37, 13 February 1926, Page 9

MINISTERS AND ELECTIONS.

GETTING THE BEST MEN. A CONSERVATIVE MEASURE. MR. BALDWIN'S VOTE. i ! (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright..) (Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, February 12. In the House of Commons the Ke-election of Ministers Bill was moved by Dr. G. C. Clayton (Widnes, Lanes.). The bill dispenses with the necessity for Cabinet members to seek re-election. The mover urged that the bill would, if passed, enable a Prime Minister to select the best man, without any consideration of what his majority was at the last election. Major Hugh O'Neil, in seconding the motion, recalled Mr. Bonar Law's bill of 1919, which limited application to nine months after the elections. It was interesting to recall that nearly all the advocates for the limit had since gained Ministerial rank, including Sir Samuel Hoare, Lord Winterton, Sir Philip Cunliffe Lister, and the Hon. Walter Guinness. The Rev. H. Dunnico (Labour M.P. for Durham) moved, and Sir John Marriott' (Conservative M.P. for York) seconded the rejection of the bill. The Prime Minister (Mr. Stanley Baldwin) said he would vote for the bill, because its advantages outweighed its disadvantages, but the matter was left to a free vote of the House. Mr. Baldwin said that admirably qualified men had been passed over because of the fear of losing a by-election. Labourites strongly opposed the bill, which -was read a second time by 143 votes to 74.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)