The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1931. A BRITISH ELECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 230, 29 September 1931, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1931. A BRITISH ELECTION.

For the cause that lacks assistance. For the -wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance. And the good that toe can do.

To many colonials it may seem extraordinary that in the middle of a. double crisis caused by the necessity for balancing the Budget and the impossibility of keeping to the gold standard, the Government should contemplate plunging the country immediately into the turmoil of a general election. It mustbe remembered that the original idea was that the Coalition Government should hold office until the immediate Budget crisis "was over, and then be dissolved into its elements. Itwas not intended that the Government should go to the country as a Coalition. But- on top of the crisis caused by the threat of a huge national deficit came the decision to abandon the gold standard, and the peril to the nation was seen to be greater than had been supposed. It may well be asked why an -election should be held when sterling is oscillating, when no one knows what the morrow may do to the British pound and British financial prestige, and when the necessary economies are still in process of being applied.

The main argument for an election is that it is desirable the Government should have proof that the nation is behind it. But there is another consideration that weighs heavily with the Conservatives, and that is the opportunity to introduce a tariff. For years the Conservatives have been advocating Protection, but they have never been able to persuade the country to give them a mandate in this direction. In the unprecedented conditions of to-day they see an opportunity such as has never been presented before of obtaining the country's consent to a new fiscal policy. Even before the crisis public opinion was definitely turning this way. The Conservatives therefore are under some suspicion of trying to stage an election for their own party purposes. They supply nearly all the voting strength of the Government in the House, and they hope to come back stronger. The Liberals, however, have decided against an immediate election, and as they hold the balance- in the House, besides making a contribution to Ministerial capacity quite out of proportion to their voting strength, their objection must be very seriously considered. The Prime Minister is now considering it, and is to decide by to-morrow. Except during the war has any Prime Minister ever had so many worries ?