SIX ENLISTMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 17, 20 January 1940, Page 13

SIX ENLISTMENTS

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

RETENTION OF SEATS IN

HOUSE

With the appointment of Colonel J. Hargest as a commanding officer of the Second Echelon of the Second Expeditionary Force, the number of members of the House of Representatives who have joined the armed forces is six. They are:— Colonel J. Hargest (National, Awarua). i Major J. M. Allen (National, Hauraki). Captain (temporary) W. J. Lyon (Government, Waitemata). Lieutenant A. G. Hultquist (Government, Bay of Plenty). Lieutenant J. F. B. Cotterill (Government, Wanganui). *Mr. E: T. Tirikatene (Government, Southern Maori). ; All of the above members, with the exception of Mr. Tirikatene, who enlisted recently, have been posted to duty, with either the Ist or 2nd Echelon. \ Enlistment does not disqualify these members from their seats in the House, and under, the existing legislation the :vacancies created by their war service will remain open until their return. The Electoral Act, 1927, states clearly that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Act, the seat of a member of the House "shall not become vacant nor shall any person be incapable of election to the House of Representatives by reason: "(a) Of his enlistment in any of his Majesty's Military or Naval Forces, raised for service beyond New Zealand; "or "(b) Of his appointment as a commissioned or non-commissioned officer in either of-the said forces; "(c) Of his receipt of pay in either of the said forces."

An additional provision in the same Act safeguards members .or former members of the House from certain restrictions on future membership, of the House. It is stated:

"No person who enlists in or is appointed as a commissioned or noncommissioned officer in either of the said forces, while he is, or within 12 months after he has ceased to be, a member of the House of Representatives, shall thereby be deemed to be a public servant or contractor, notwithstanding the receipt by him of pay in respect of such establishment or appointment." • An amendment to the Electoral Act, 1927, passed by the last session of the present Parliament, made it clear that enlistment or service with the forces, either overseas or in New Zealand, did not disqualify a member from his seat. This was necessary at the time, because it was not known that the Special Force would be serving over-