LIFE OF PARLIAMENT

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3438, 3 March 1932, Page 5

LIFE OF PARLIAMENT

EXTENSION PROPOSED. PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS. Predictions made some time "ago that the Coalition Cabinet Would seriously consider extending the lif«e of Parliament for from three to four years appear to have been borne out, according to statements being made in the lobbies at Parliament House. There is said to be evei-y possibility that the Government will introduce legislation this session to give effect to the change which is, expected to be made permanent.

The extension of life of Parliament was a live topic during the general election campaign and the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates stated more than once that this might be necessary when it was found just how serious the financial position of the country was and how long would be required to carry through an effective financial policy. The question was also discussed freely in political circles shortly after the United and Reform Parties decided to form the Coalition, and it was then made clear in certain quarters that the . Government, if returned, would probably find it desirable to make a permanent alteration. From what can be gathered at the moment, a Bill has already been framed to make the necessary alteration. It is understood authoritatively that the Government 'now realises that the process of financial reconstruction will be a long one. The Minister of Finance, Hon. W. Downie Stewart, said to a deputation last week that the coming two years would far eclipse those that had gone before in the stringent steps that would have to be taken to strengthen the national finances.

One argument being used in favour of an extended term is that at the present time only one session of the three normally held during the life of Parliament can be said to be a working session. The first is usually devoted to introducing business. It is the second session in which most of the work is done, for the third is found to be a time of electioneering; Although many might argue that every session should be a working session, it would seem almost impossible to alter the customary routine into which successive Parliaments have fallen. With a four-year term it could reasonably be expected that there would be two working sessions during the period. In addition to this, members state that with their reduced honoraria they find it difficult to provide their electioneering costs every three years, and a four-year interval between elections would give them a greater chance to find what is necessarily a heavy item of expenditure. For this reason the proposition is likely to find general agreement among members, although a certain amount of opposition would probably come from the Labour Party, • whose contention is that it should have the right to appeal to the country at the earliest opportunity. One effect of extending the life of Parliament would be that the licensing poll would be put off until 1935, a year later than was previously anticipated. This would make seven years between the polls. It is of interest, also, that up to 1897 the life of the New Zealand Parliament was five years.