DATE OF ELECTION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 73, 23 September 1914, Page 3

DATE OF ELECTION

TO BE HELD TOWARDS END OF YEAR SIR JOSEPH WARD'S OPPOSITION. As reported in last evening's Post, the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) announced in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon that the Government had decided, after very careful consideration, to hold the General Elections at the usual time — about the end of November or the beginning of December. The decision was criticised by the Leader of the Opposition, who advocated that the date should be fixed for March, at which time, he said, the winter was so rigorous that it would be almost impossible to continue hostilities. During the lull would be a favourable time for the elections to take place, and if necessary three months' further extension could be made. Sir Joseph concluded by remarking that, as far as he was concerned, he wanted to say he regretted the discussion, and was exceedingly sorry the elections had not been postponed until next year, so that they could have stood united for the good of the Empire as a whole. The Prime Minister said he had not understood that the Leader of the Opposition had been willing to have the elections postponed till the war was over. He did not think the honourable gentleman would have that. As for the proposal to postpone till March, that was one of the busiest months of the year — the harvest month. Then, again, if there was a further postponement they would bo in the middle of winter— June — when the roads were bad and days short, and no election could give satisfaction. There had been no suggestion to extend the term of the present Imperial Parliament. During the Boer War a general election had been held in the Old Country. Was it not a fact that if the Government asked that its term of office bo extended that it would be accused of trying to bang on to office? That suggestion had been made in Christchurch. Should not Parliament set a good example to the people and continue with its business. He was bound, to say that he thought the Federal election would be a complete fiasco, but he had cabled to Australia and had ascertained that no less than 71 per cent, of the electors had voted. Sir Joseph Ward, in reply to the Prime Minister, said it would be very foolish to suggest that the elections should be deferred for three years. In the Old Country the leaders of the two great parties had agreed not to seek for a general election in the near future. Personally, he regretted the general election in Australia, but they would not compare the cases of Australia and New Zealand, as it was next door to impossible to carry out a strong, concentrated campaign. "The decision has been given," concluded Sir Joseph, "and I don't propose to say any more about it."