General Election On November 29

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32073, 22 August 1969, Page 1

General Election On November 29

(New Zealand Preet Association)

WELLINGTON, August 21. The General Election will be held on November 29. The announcement of this was made in Parliament today by the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake).

He said that to fulfil statutory requirements, the last possible day for the end of the Parliamentary session would be Friday, October 31.

However, to ensure that there were four full weeks for campaigning, his present intention was to finish work of the House by October 24 the Friday preceding Labour week-end. Before making the announcement, the Prime Minister informed the GovernorGeneral (Sir Arthur Porritt) the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) and the Leader of the Social Credit Political League (Mr V. F. Cracknell). November 29 is in line with the dates for the last three General Elections. In both 1960 and 1966 the date was November 26; in 1963 it was November 30. Month Later

Although for the last two elections New Zealand’s polling day has coincided with that of Australia, this year it is more than a month later. The Australian Prime Minister (Mr Gorton) yesterday announced that the Federal elections would be held on October 25.

Mr Holyoake said that writs for the election would be issued on Wednesday, October 29. The rolls would close at 6 p.m. on October 29 and nominations would close on Thursday, November 6.

Writs would be returnable on Thursday, December 18. The Prime Minister said that the announcement of the election date was probably being made earlier than in the past.

Boundary Changes ■ The Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr Watt) said an earlier announcement this year was necessary in view of legislation passed yesterday giving 20-year-blds the vote. The National Party holds 42 seats in the 80-member Parliament; Labour has 36

members and Social Credit one. One seat is vacant as a result of the death last month of the former AttorneyGeneral, Mr Hanan.

Changes made in electoral boundaries mean that the parties will be contesting 84 seats—four more—in the forthcoming election.