LIFE OF PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16824, 15 April 1918, Page 4

LIFE OF PARLIAMENT.

EXTENDED TO DECEMBER,' 1919 J CARRIED BY LARGE MAJORITY. (BT TELEGRAPH— CORRESPONDENT.] .'% WELLINGTON. Sunday. | The clause in the Finance Bill prowling * for a further postponement of the general ;i elections from December, 1318, until De- | cember, 1919, led to soma discussion ia j House of Representatives yesterday after- | noon, but it was ultimately carried by a I substantial majority. 3 Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central), | who said that he was opposed to extend- I ing the life of the present Parliament until ( § December, 1919, and moved as an amend- '| ment that the extension bo until Ar-ii. I 1918. • I Sir Joseph Ward said that he could not >; accept the amendment. It was very un- i likely, besides, that the next, session, which * would meet in October next, wo'dd be i ccmpleted by Christmas. Probably mem- 3 bers would now have to return in January i and stay until the end of February, co* V possibly until March. In such a case it 1 would be very inconvenient to hold an ;i election in April. Members should heboid -'-j. enough to face the facts and admit that is .under the exceptional circumstances the' holding of an election this year, or early ~J next year, was inadvisable. - ,1 The Prime Minister said in at the carry- '| ing of the clause in the Bill did not -| necessarily mean the postponement of the S* elections until the end of next year. . If'J the circumstances warranted it they would /; dissolve Parliament before that time- It.vl would be a crime to hold the elections i ; : during a time of such stresr and anxiety?* as wo had now entered upon. In any case an election would only result in the return of the National Government. "We' .1 do not know when the war is going to % end," he said, " but my opinion is that >; it will end much sooner than most, people think." 'a Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Egmont) said that f whilst there was no doubt that a general \'; election would result in the return rf the - National Government, it would satisfy '<; the people who wished to have a say in \a the government of the country. "; Mr. J. A. Young [WaikatoJ suggested -a that as Parliament would meet again in j October the "lections should not be postponed beyond next April. The question uj of a further postponement could be deter* * mined next session. ■■-, Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby (Wairarapa) ."" urqed that members in speaking on this j subject should observe common honesty- [ If the constituents of any member w?re , j dissatisfied with him, let them ask him to -A resign nad have a by-election. Last y-saF « he had signed a requisition asking for an ;- election at the due time, and he had been Y ? : given a very hot time by his constituents in consequence. Mr. Statham's amendment was lost by 40 to 20. In replv to Dr. A. K. Newman (Wei- j lington East), Sir Joseph Ward said that his view was that the next licensing poll ; should be held on the day of the general y election. '; The clause postponing the elections untn ■■_: December, 1919. was carried by 43 votes ~i to 19, the division list being as follows:— % For the clause (45): Allen, Anstev, 80l- | lard, Buick, Colvin, Dickie, Dickson (2). | Ell, W. H. Field. Forbes. Fraser, Guthrie, j Hanan, Harris, Berries, Hcrnsby. Hudson, v - Hunter. Isitt, Lee, Luke, McCallum. Mc- : :g. Donald, Mander, Massey, Myers, gatiJ,,-v. Nosworthr, Okev, Parr. Poland, Pomare, .;- Reed, Russell, Scott, Smith (2). R. W« r* Sykes. Talbot, Thomson, Ward, Wilford. •■■;£ Against the clause (19): Anderson, Craigie, T. Field. Fletcher, Hindmars", Jennings, McCombs, Dr. Newman, Paynft Poole, T. W. Rhodes, Statham, Thackfi', Yeitch, Walker, Wilkinson, Witty, Wright, Young. *g