LABOUR'S VIEW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 177, 28 July 1934, Page 10

LABOUR'S VIEW.

NO BY-ELECTIONS.

RESIGNATION SUGGESTION

LEADER DISCOUNTS VALUE.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this dar

In the opinion of the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Savage, there would be no advantage to members of the Labour party if they showed their opposition to the extension of the life of Parliament by resigning at the end of the present year. He made this statement in the House of Representatives yesterday, when moving the second reading of his bill to'reduce the life of the present Parliament to its original period of three years. "Some people say that the members who hold my opinion should resign ai the end of the period for which they have been elected," said Mr. Savage. "If that course was followed, what chance would there be of improving the posi- ! tion ? We would have 25 or oO by-elee-I tions, and a reactionary Government would still be on the Treasury benches. We would have no chance of a gain and every chance of a loss. ■ We would still have the same old facets ahead of us, the same old Government and the same old legislation. I am hoping that tliu ] people will. give expression to their j views on the question in no uncertain I manner. My advice is that they should do so." Right of People. In moving the second reading of his bill, Mr. Savage said that while it might be possible to find reasons for extending the life of Parliament when the country was in a state of war, it was extremely difficult to find reasons for extending the life of the present Parliament. The Government had gone to the electors saying that it wanted a free hand. It had offered nothing very definite and had certainly not told the people that it would extend the life of Parliament. The newspapers had ridiculed the suggestion that the extension of Parliament's life would destroy the right of the people to govern, but even a school child would know that that was the case. If the present Parliament could extend its life by one year there was nothing to stop another Parliament extending its life by five or seven years. The Prime Minister had stated quite frankly that from a legal point of view Parliament was justified in extending its life by 999 years. What a glorious picture that presented! The people would have to wait until members died off to get rid of them. Mr. E. Semple (Labour, Wellington East): A Kathleen Mavourneen Government. Revolutionary Outcome. Mr. Savage said that the Prime Minister had admitted that such an extension end ultimately in revolution. That, admission had been made in a public statement made by the Prime Minister. Mr. A. J. Stallworthy (Independent, Eden): Perhaps the Prime Minister only signed the statement. ■ Mr. Savage: He signed it all right, but I don't know whether he understood what.was in it; . ; The Leader of the Opposition said he admitted that Parliament was all-power-ful and could do as it liked, but .it should not misuse its powers. Mr. Stallworthy: So long as it has public oninion behind it. Mr. Savage: It can't exist unless public opinion is behind it, or unless things have been manipulated to give a party complete control of the institution; but there is an end to even that. Mr. Savage said he did not claim that Parliament had violated the Constitution, but he did claim that it had violated, the understanding of the Constitution. He had been elected by the people of Auckland West for three years* and no longer. If members were to continue in office for longer than three years they were no longer representatives of the people. It was an impertinence for members to eay that they were the only men who had the right to represent the constituencies. <

"DRIFTING ALONG."

GOVERNMENT ATTACKED.

PEOPLE'S DEMAND FOR ELECTION".

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

The contention that the Government's policy was so detrimental to the welfare of the Dominion that it should go to the polls a& soon as possible to test the feeling of the electors was made by Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central) in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon during the debate on the second reading of the Electoral Amendment (Date of Election) Bill, which was sponsored by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. M. J. Savage. Mr. Parry said that when tlie high exchange legislation was before the House the Government had stated that the raising of the rate of exchange was absolutely necessary in the interest of the farmers, and that once the Government's action was ratified all would bo well with the fanner in New Zealand. They were- now told that the farmers were in an alarming position, and the Government was awaiting the report of the Dairy Commission. It was apparent that the Government had no policy of its own, and was just drifting along, to the detriment of the people. There should be an appeal to the electors as soon as possible. The people from one end of the country to the other were more solidly in favour of an election than ever they had been. Mr. A. Stuart (Government, Rangitikei): That is absolutely incorrect. Mr. Parry: You know nothing about it. You do not leave your farm. Those who have travelled from one end of the country to the other have been partial-, larly impressed by the demand for an | election among the farmers. The members on the Government benches realise this fact as much as anyone else. The reason which has been put forward by the Prime Minister for the extension of the life of Parliament is not the real reason. Mr. H. Atmore (In.d., Nelson): It is' fear. Mr. Parry said that the postponement of the election might be justified on the I ground that a state of emergency existed, but such was not the case. The position was gradually becoming worse than it was when the Government j assumed office.