ELECTION ISSUE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 9, 6 October 1941, Page 6

ELECTION ISSUE

Opinion Now More Undecided POSSIBLE COURSES Opposing Leaders To Meet Again

The growing belief, amounting almost lo complete certainty last week, that a general election would be held this year, changed abruptly on Saturday with the announcement of the meeting between the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser,- and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland. Uncertainty and doubt replaced the former confidence felt, and lobby opinion now is vague.

No fresh light was thrown on the subject at tho weekend. Tho Primo Minister and Mr, Holland did not meet again, but it has already been announced that the discussions are to be resumed this week, and this may happen before tho caucus of the' Parliamentary Labour Party called for tomorrow, Tho immediate reaction on Saturday to tho announcement of the meeting between tho leaders was that' there would be no election. That outcome Is by no means certain, however, as the discussions between Messrs. Fraser and Holland were mere preliminaries, and it is believed that the whole situation has yet to bo resolved. Experienced politicians are loth to express a view on tho likely outcome; weighing the known desire of a large section of the Labour movement for an election, against its disinclination to face a campaign in the course of which New Zealand troops might go into action overseas.

A point of view expressed by the Primo Minister last week during the debate on the Doctors’ Bill is taken by some to indicate his trend of thought on the general election question as well, Mr. Fraser, speaking about the Government's efforts to obtain co-operatiou with the doctors, said. “Personally-1 was not particularly enamoured of hav-. Ing one fight in the Middle East and Europe, and another in our own country.". The caucus itself, at the last meeting at which the election was discussed, was closely divided, but it is believed a majority favoured an election. A greater majority was against the formation of a National Government, which is still generally believed to be most unlikely of achievement.The position at present is that the election question is undecided. Should there be an election, other possible problems will not arise, blit if the law is amended to make an election unnecessary this year, settlement must be reached on. the course to be followed. The obvious possible courses are a mere extension of the life of Parliament, perhaps for a year or perhaps for the duration of the war, or longer, an agreement on the dropping of contentious domestic legislation, an extended. War Cabinet with greater Opposition representation, arid a National Government, The last course is generally ruled out, but any of the other three, with modification, might prove acceptable, and reconcilable with a decision to deprive the public temporarily of its voice through the polls.