NO DECISION YET

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23446, 29 September 1941, Page 6

NO DECISION YET

GENERAL ELECTION QUESTION MR FRASER RETICENT (P.R.) WELLINGTON. September 28. A fortnight has elapsed since the return to New Zealand of the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, after his trip abroad, and while Parliament and the country are eagerly awaiting his decision, Mr Fraser continues to maintain silence on the question whether a General Election will be held this year. When asked to-night when he was likely to make his long-awaited announcement, Mr only reply was, “I cannot say.” It is obvious that any move in the direction of enlarging the War Cabinet or forming a National Government must be preceded by negotiations with the Opposition, but the Leader of the Opposition, Mr S. G. Holland, had not been approached an hour before he left on Saturday to spend the weekend in Christchurch. The only definite information available at the week-end was that the caucus of the Parliamentary Labour Party is to meet again on Tuesday. It was not stated whether the election issue would be the main subject for discussion, but this is being generally taken for granted, specially in view of the belief that the caucus has not yet voted on the question. It is reported that since the caucus last met, Mr Fraser has had discussions in Wellington with prominent representatives of industrial Labour. Lobby opinion continues to favour the prospects of an election. Some sections of industrial Labour have openly expressed their support for the scheduled election taking place, and it is believed that their views are shared by an influential section of the caucus, including certain Ministers. On the other hand, however, the view is widely held that the caucus is far from unanimous on the subject, and that a number would like to see the election postponed.