GENERAL ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20074, 11 October 1928, Page 10

GENERAL ELECTION.

EARLY DATE CHOSEN.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14. ISSUE OF WRIT NEXT WEEK. ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR. COATES. [BY TELEGTIArrr. SPECIAL, RErORTTvIt] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Following a meeting of Cabinet this afternoon tho Prime Minister announced that the general election will bo held on November 14. It is expected the writ v.hich prescribes the date on which tho nominations of Parliamentary candidates will closo will bo issued next week. For long it has been tho custom in New Zealand to hold tho general election early in December, in spilo of tho protests of business men against tho disturbance of the holiday and Christmas trade that was caused every third year. It was partly to remedy this gricvanco that Mr. Coates, in 1925, went to the electors on November 4, tho earliest polling date in an election year since tho century'opened. Another reason for the earlier poll was that Mr. Coates wished to receive a mandate from tho people in taking up tho' leadership to which he succeeded on Mr. Masscy's death. Prior to 1925, tho four preceding general elections wero held in December, that in 1919 being as late as December 17, while in 1911 the election took place on December 7 and the second ballots on December 14. In 1908 tho dates wero November 17 and 24; in 1905, December 6; and in 1902. November 25.