GENERAL ELECTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1938, Page 3

GENERAL ELECTION

EARLY IN NOVEMBER MR. SAVAGE’S INTIMATION I FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, July lilt is probable that the General Election this year will take place about the beginning of November, lhe I Minister (Mr Savage) stated an interview yesterday that he was st confident that the present session ot Parliament would finish by the ead September. and would thus ®. about a month clear for the electioi campaign. , ‘‘Representations have been made to me by business people and by organisations of employees as well as of employers, and it has been emphasised that if the election takes place too near Christmas it will have the effect of dislocating trade to a certain extent,” said Mr Savage. “There seems no reason why the present Parliamentary session should not be finished by the end of September, as I estimated' earlier, and I think that the election should be held as early as possible after that. It will probably be about the end of October or early in November—probably the latter.” A tour of the South Island, possibly at the end of next week, will be made by the Prime Minister. Arrangements have not yet been completed, and no itinerary has been fixed.

“I just want to meet the people,” said Mr Savage. “I do not want to be bothered with deputations. I want to see the people and perhaps to go to the races.”

BUDGET PRESENTATION. [special to “stab.’’] WELLINGTON, July 18. The outstanding Parliamentary event of the week will be the Budget, which will be presented on Wednesday night. This was the main subject at tho caucus of the Government Party, to-day, the Prime Minister stating that an indication had been given to members of some of the main points involved. It was also ascertained from Mr Savage that the social security legislation is almost completely drafted. It has been found possible to include in one bill both the national health scheme and the national superannuation scheme. Tho present intention of the Government is to dispose of the Budget, before introducing the social security legislation. At least a fortnight must, therefore, elapse, because the financial debate will take at least that amount of time, the Opposition being very keen to discuss the country’s financial position, and particularly the heavy additional liabilities involved in the coming legislation. Air Hamilton will open the Financial debate on Thursday night, and he will be followed by Mr Savage.