NATIONAL ECONOMY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 215, 25 August 1931, Page 6

NATIONAL ECONOMY

THE PARTY CONFERENCE SITTING HOURS DECIDED ON. EVIDENCE TO BE TAKEN. Wellington, Aug. 24. The Parliamentary committee consisting of representatives of all parties of the House of Representatives met this afternoon at 2.30 for a preliminary discussion. As a result of the deliberations, it was decided that the committee should take evidence from departmental officers on Tuesday and Wednesday and later from such other sources as might be determined upon by the committee. The committee will sit daily from 11 a.m. till 1 p.m. and from 2.30 till 5 p.m. A proposal will be submitted to Parliament that on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week the House should sit in the evenings only. POSSIBLE ELECTION POSTPONEMENT. MR. POLSON’S APPROVAL. Stratford, Aug. 24. Discussing the possible postponement of the general election, Mr W. J. Polson, M.P.. said: “If the committee set up adopts a national plan which all the parties accept and the Government agrees to put into operation, I don’t see how the parties could put up more than a sham fight An the hustings. It would look as though there was only one programme possible to lay before the electors—viz., that adopted by the national committee. Presumably that is the only programme acceptable to the country.”

Mr Polson admitted the possibility of new conditions arising which would make an election desirable. The Labour Party had already stated that it would not agree to any delaying of the election and possibly will later disclose reasons to justify this opinion.

“This step, taken in time, may have a tremendous effect upon future development,” Mr Polson said. “The scheme now adopted has been advocated bv banking and commercial circles for some time past and presumably has had much attention from the Government. Therefore the crystallisation of the idea predominant in the minds of so many is welcomed as the first step in a nearer approach bv the various parties to a common plan for the examination of the country’s difficulties.’’