PATEA SEAT

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27367, 4 June 1954, Page 12

PATEA SEAT

WRIT ISSUED FOR BYELECTION

ANNULLING LEGISLATION TO BE INTRODUCED

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 3.

The Clerk of Writs (Mr A. G. Harper) issued a writ today for-a byelection to fill the vacant Patea seat in the House of Representatives. The seat was made vacant by 1 the resignation of Mr W. A. Sheat.

Though the writ sets arrangements in train for the taking of the poll in accord with the law, it will be invalidated later by legislation which the Government intends to introduce as soon as possible after Parliament assembles on June 22.

The writ, which is returnable within 50 days, fixes Saturday, July 17, as the date of the by-election, and June 25 as the date for the closing of nominations. By June 25, however, it is expected that the legislation postponing the by-election will have been passed. Tonight’s Gazette contains a list of the polling places for the Patea electoral district.

STATEMENT BY MR SHEAT

“LEGAL PROCEDURE TRIFLED WITH”

OPPOSITION CONCURRENCE ALLEGED (New Zealand Press Association) HAWERA, June 3.

The legal procedure laid down in the Electoral Act for by-elections had been trifled with by those responsible for carrying it out, said Mr W. A. Sheat, who recently resigned as member of Parliament for Patea, today. He was commenting on the Government’s decision not to hold a by-elec-tion for the Patea seat. Mr Sheat alleged that an “unholy alliance” had been entered into by the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr ’Nash) to deprive 15,000 electors of their constitutional right to be represented in the 1954 session of Parliament. The Gazette notice, required to be published after a vacancy occurred in the House, could and should have been published in the Gazette of Thursday, May 20, six days after his resignation, said Mr Sheat. Publication did not take place till a week later—May 27 although the notice was dated May 19. After publication of the notice on May 27 the Speaker, in accordance with the Electoral Act, notified the Clerk of Writs to issue a writ forthwith, said Mr Sheat. Notice was received by the Clerk of Writs on May 20 in the forenoon, but on Tuesday, June 1, nothing had been done by him to carry out his statutory obligations. At 3 p.m. on that day the Clerk of Writs advised that he would issue the writ on Thursday, June 3—six days after being instructed to do so forthwith. , . . Mr Sheat claimed that the decision to introduce legislation depriving the electors of their constitutional and democratic right to fill the vacancy was made after the Prime Minister had received the concurrence of the Leader of the Opposition. “Objections strongly voiced in recent years to altering the rules in the middle of the game are being forgotten and a most dangerous precedent established ” said Mr Sheat. “Mr Nash could no doubt readily concur in the establishing of such a precedent, which may be used for more serious gurposes in the future, if sanctioned y Parliament on this occasion.”

MR NASH DENIES CONCURRENCE

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 3. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash) said tonight that any allegation that he had concurred with the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) in not holding a by-election for the vacant Patea seat was incorrect. Mr Nash said there had been absolutely no agreement between the Government and the Labour Party on the proposal not to hold the by-election.